The End In Itself
by jomarch05
Summary: Sequel to The End is Only The Beginning. Another mission for our Chuck, Sarah and Casey. How will marriage affect Chuck and Sarah on the job? Read and find out and as usual, things never go according to plan in Spy World. Action/Adventure/Angst included.
1. Chuck vs The End?

**A/N - Hi All, welcome to the sequel to The End is Only The Beginning. I tend to get side-tracked a lot when I write either by real life or a story idea that will just not leave me alone. Hence, I started writing the chapter below. **

**So a couple of points, first, I will try and update but it will not be on a regular basis until The Inevitable Life of Chuck Bartowski is finished. Secondly, this story really starts near the end of the big mission and it ends in a cliff hanger that will nor be resolved for a number of Chapters as I will move back in time for Chapter 2 and the rest of the Chapters until I get back to this point in the story (intrigued yet ?). Hopefully I don't confuse myself (which is rather easy to do so you guys have to help point out any inconsistencies). **

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs The End?**

**Wilmington Refinery, California 2.04am, 3****rd**** December 2010**

Sarah is running at full speed, her gun held firmly by her side, as she navigates through the steam and pipes, Casey's voice in her ear providing the vital directions she needs to get to Chuck. She has one singular thought in her mind and it centers on ensuring that her husband comes out of this mission alive and completely unhurt.

"Room is a hundred metres ahead of you but twenty metres up. You'll need to start the generator and activate the elevator. It'll take you fifteen minutes." Casey knows that she will protest and can picture her frustrated expression. "Relax Walker, your boy's a trained professional." There is no irony in Casey's voice and despite his prior reservations about Chuck, Casey has acknowledged that he's more than proven himself as a damn good spy.

"I know." She smiles for the first time as she increases her pace as soon as she spots the generator. Quickly re-holstering her gun as she starts the process to switch it on and thus activate the make-shift elevator that will take her to her husband. She hopes that he does not do anything stupidly brave in the meantime.

She can't believe that they're so close to the end of this assignment, that their work throughout the past year is finally about to pay-off. Best of all, the new arrangement with General Beckman almost guarantees that Chuck will manage the new Intersect project team in a supervisory capacity only with no more field work and that she will be allowed to retire to a training role.

She looks at her watch and knows that she told him she'd come and get him at 2.30. She hopes that he'll forgive her for being a few minutes early but she does not like being separated from him for so long. Ever since Vegas, they had not spent more than a day apart and she does not want to break that streak, knowing that she last saw him at 3am yesterday morning. At least she made him wear the new Kevlar vest she had been given, insisting that he was the one who would be in the line of fire for the duration of this mission and that he would be dispatched first. As usual, Chuck had refused, only to finally relent when she promised to get one for herself as soon as she could find the time.

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Chuck sees the fist coming towards him and only just manages to whip his head back and avoid some of the momentum behind the punch. His body swings wildly and he feels the strain on his arms and shoulders as the ropes cut into his wrists. He's hanging from a makeshift hook, his feet barely touching the ground. "You know…" He spits out the blood pooling in his mouth and continues, "my wife doesn't really..like it when my face gets hit. And ..you really don't want..to get her angry." He does not like speaking French but knows that he has to do it for the benefit of Alain.

The three other men in the room are bit players, but it is Alain who is calling the shots and despite liking all things American, he has devoutly refused to speak or converse in English throughout this entire mission. He sees Alain rear back to hit him again and knows that he should just shut up and wait for Sarah. He already has the information he needs, considering he has had a good view of the bomb that is currently being assembled on the table in front of him.

This time the punch landing on his torso and he does not have enough torque to lessen its impact and can feel his ribs protest at the contact.

"Who do you work for?" He expects the question but is surprised that Alain actually waits for an answer.

"You're not going to believe me even if I told you." He sees Alain pause, waiting for him to continue. "My wife, I actually work for my wife." a small smile punctuating the end of his sentence as he can picture Sarah's exasperated expression when he tells her about this encounter. According to her, this would probably merit what she would call being stupidly brave or in Casey's terminology, Doing The Bartowski. Chuck's at least glad that the ensuing punch has resulted in Alain's fist getting caught in his teeth causing blood to appear on his hand.

He can see the small clock on the wall and knows that Sarah will be there in ten minutes or so and that he needs to move their plan along. He closes his eyes and concentrates, as usual, picturing Sarah in his head but this time with the smile that signifies to him that she loves him unconditionally. He feels the pressure build up at the base of his skull and the onset of the Flash start. He knows he has to be extremely directed in this, that what he needs to flash on is not just one thing but instead pull together various bits of information that would allow him the ability to defuse the bomb when Sarah comes charging in to save his life, as usual.

He's oblivious now to Alain's frustrated voice and does not even feel the hit to his body as his mind and consciousness is wrapped around the flash, diligently mining for the data he needs to accomplish the task that he and Sarah were sent for. He does not hear the door bust open or the shots fired off around him, one splintering the chair Alain had been sitting on, resulting a shard of wood grazing the side of his cheek. He feels or hears none of it, nor does he witness Sarah 's unfortunate entrance.

Sarah knows that Casey has gone radio silent and would remain so, monitoring their progress as soon as she makes contact with Chuck. She does not hesitate as she kicks the door in, shooting three of the men in quick succession before turning on Alain. She does not expect a shot to come from behind as she pitches forward. She manages to break her fall with her free hand but cannot react fast enough as she sees Alain's gun go off in her general direction.

The second bullet enters her side, knocking the wind out of her but still she manages to roll behind the table, finally firing off a shot at Alain, causing him drop his gun. She sees Chuck staring at her wide eyed and winks at him despite the immense pain. She sees the gunman at the door and shoots him without hesitation, only to turn back to see Alian once again in possession of his gun.

Sarah already feels light headed and is glad when she sees Chuck react as he grabs hold of the ropes he is hanging by and swings his legs up and around Alain's neck, slamming him to the ground and allowing her to take the shot. She uses the table to pull herself up, feeling the fiery pain in her side and back, knowing that her shirt is soaked with her blood.

"Sarah, you're shot. The vest…your vest" He does not want to revert to the old Chuck, the one who panics and does not know what he needs to do. However, seeing her ashen face and wetness soaking her shirt finally spurs him on as he quickly reaches for the small blade hidden in his wrist and starts to cut through the ropes binding his hands. He does not feel the blade slice into the soft tissue of his wrist, his senses all localized and focused on Sarah as he sees her stagger towards him.

She's breathing hard, her eyes already glassy but still she makes it over to him and helps to cut him down. Chuck's arms are immediately around her as soon as his feet touch the ground. She touches the blood on his face and shakes her head, "Wha..What did I tell you ..about asking them…to lay off your..face." The words would have brought a smile to his face if it weren't punctuated by her soft cry of pain. Her hand grabs onto his shoulder and her eyes shut as she sways slightly on her feet.

"We need to get you to the extraction point," His voice is firm because he knows she will protest. He tucks a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and removes the transmitter she has there. "Casey, immediate evac necessary. We have two GSWs to the back and the side. Only one exit wound. We'll be there in twenty minutes or less." He gently lowers her to the ground, taking of his shirt and tying it around her abdomen in hope of stemming the flow of blood.

"No, the bomb's… been… activated" She hears her own voice as if coming from a distance and knows that its due to the blood loss and shock, that her body is slowly shutting down. "You need to …defuse it." She looks up at him and despite the pain, slowly raises her hand to touch his cheek as she sees his anguished expression. She does not like to see him in pain, physically or emotionally. "I'm..so. sorry."

Chuck knows what his mission is, he had accepted it without qualms or complaint. He had endured beatings, sleepless nights and countless other issues to get to this point but at this juncture, he knows for a fact that he cannot continue. That the person he is holding in his arms is the only reason he is alive and if anything happened to her, he could not go on. "Sarah." Her name sounds like a prayer from his lips infused with promises yet to come. He looks at the table and can see the countdown timer on the bomb ticking away. The blood red numbers counting down and it feels too much like it's leading to Sarah's demise that he tears his eyes away, refusing to look at it.

"Bartowski." Casey's voice is loud in his ear and he can hear him panting, gunfire echoing in the background. "Casey? Where are you?" He looks down to see Sarah's unfocused eyes although she's currently trying to sit up, her hand grasping at his arm for support.

"Tell..Casey to stand down..we..we can finish the mission." She will not give up, not when their future is on the line. She knows she is badly hurt though, the bullets penetrating skin and organs but she also knows that she is too stubborn to just give up. She's finally found the balance and focus in her life and does not want to lose it without a fight.

Casey finally comes barreling into the room, his face streaked with sweat, his attention divided between the ticking bomb on the table and his partners sitting on the floor. The bomb is a thing of destructive beauty, all wires and tubes, the timer showing the countdown at just under seventeen minutes. He does not know how or where to start but he knows that Chuck does. The issue though is that Chuck's only reason to exist is currently bleeding out on the floor and being too stubborn to pass out.

Casey knows his options currently are pretty easy as he strides over to Sarah and kneels next to her, one hand supporting her neck. He sees her looking up at him and knows what she's trying to tell him but listens anyway at her strained voice. "Get..Chuck to …diffuse the ..bomb." He can see the heroic idiot's waging an internal war within himself, knowing that there are more lives and value at stake than just his wife's. The choice is so crystal clear to Casey that he does not hesitate as he leans closer to Sarah and states, "Next time wear a vest." he sees her eyes widen as he finally places more pressure on her Brachial Plexus, causing her to gasp and lose consciousness almost instantaneously.

Predictably, Casey knows exactly how Chuck would react to his current decision and stops the fist from connecting with his face. His palm wrapped around Chuck's fist as he pushes back. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop thinking with your d.." He's unceremoniously cut off as the timer on the bomb beeps loudly. "What the..."

Chuck knows exactly what it signifies and his face turns even more pale. "It's armed itself and although I can dismantle parts of it, the core blaster cannot be disarmed. He looks at Casey, regret in his eyes, only to see Casey sweep up Sarah's limp body and places her in his arms. Pushing the both of them towards the door.

"Go." Casey's tone does not give any room for misinterpretation. "Now." He shouts as he pushes Chuck towards the door again. "Am ambulance is on its way. It'll be waiting about a mile from the refinery."

"The Bomb." Chuck wants to take Sarah away but also knows that she will always feel duty bound, driven by her beliefs and her honor. Likewise, he cannot walk away despite wishing to with all his being.

"Walk me through it. You have the transmitter and I'm assuming you can run and talk at the same time." Casey knows a thing or two about bomb diffusing and disposal but the specimen before him is somethnig else. Any wrong move could detonate it and blow up the refinery and probably all three of the nearest towns. Even now, he knows that there will still be a pretty big blast although not a catastrophic one. But still enough to kill him if he does not clear the room in time.

Casey knows he does not have the epic love story of the Bartowskis' but Ilsa had joined him in Germany that last week, last year and even now, they have managed to touch base either physically or virtually almost on a monthly basis. Casey does not want to die but he's also a professional who understands that if Sarah does not get medical help soon, she will. And if she does die, Chuck will too. "Bartowski, get out of here. That's an order." Again, his tone is firm as he takes out his toolkit and places it on the table before him. He does not look back as he hears Chuck run out the door.

"Casey..can you hear me. You need to first unscrew the panel on the right side. The small rectangular one…..It's covering the first circuit….linking to…the gaseous canister" Sarah is heavy in his arms but he does not feel the strain. His mind is focus on going over the information he had mined in his Flash as well as trying to come up with a plan that would give Casey the small time window he would need to get out of the room.

"Roger that, I'm on it." Casey slowly removes the panel only to be confronted by a myriad of colored wires. "Chuck, there are like thirty little wires connected here." He does not like the uncertain note in his voice and takes a breath to centre himself. He can hear Chuck's harsh breathing through his comm link and hopes that all the training he had put Chuck through has given him adequate stamina now. "She ok?" It's not the best time to check but Casey does not want his possible sacrifice to be in vain either.

"You're looking for the intertwined green…. and white wire. It's the …..one that will ignite the… gas." Chuck exits the elevator and runs through the darkened corridor. Most of the lights have been shot out probably due to Casey's recent insertion. He looks down at Sarah, her heads tilted back, her eyes are closed and for a second, he cannot tell if she is breathing or not and his heart almost stops. It's only because of her soft moan doe he not stop right there to take her pulse. "She's still breathing." He can picture Casey nodding at that while trying to find the wire he needs to cut.

"Ok, wire's cut." Casey wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. The timer reads 12.12 and he knows that he would need at least a couple of minutes to transport the core blasting unit to a different location and ensure that the damage is minimized to himself and the refinery. "When can I move this thing?"

Chuck wants to be able to give Casey better news but knows that he does not have the time to explain much, "You need to take out the gas cylinder now, don't disconnect any of the other wires yet. After that, you will see a digital panel situated below the cylinder. The code to enter is 2312398." Chuck's hands feel wet and he knows that he is slowly being soaked by Sarah's blood. Worse yet, he can feel her body losing it's warmth and the only thing he can do about it is to hold her tighter to him.

Casey can tell that Chuck is avoiding telling him the bad news currently because he needs to concentrate at the job at hand. "Good news is that the canister is out. Bad news is that there is no digital panel underneath it."

"Underside, it's on the underside. They flipped it over maybe. Casey, I can't flash" Chuck knows he needs to flash again but he cannot think of Sarah alive and happy when she's literally dying in his arms.

"Hey…" Chuck feels her touch rather than hear's her voice and he looks down, frighten to acknowledge what he will see. It's only when he looks into her eyes, does he understand the strain she is under but also how strong her will is as she continues to let him focus on her. Her face is serene and he can see the love and faith she has in him. The only indication that all is not right is the continued flow of blood he can feel on his arms.

Amazingly, he does not stop as he flashes, his legs continue to pump as he runs out of the refinery complex. Nor does he lessen his hold on his wife. Whether driven by necessity or serendipity, he manages a quick Flash, just enough to retrieve the information he needs as to how Casey can bypass the digital panel. He almost stumbles then, his feet slipping on the gravel path and he can feel Sarah's touch tighten on his arm. "Casey…I need you to cut the dark blue… wire and then wait… for thirty seconds… before you cut the dark …..green wire. Timing…timing has to be accurate…Can..you do that."

"Yeah, the timer on this thing is as accurate as I can get." Casey does not question Chuck or his instructions. He's bet his life before and Chuck has come through and there is no difference now. He follows Chuck's instructions to the letter, "What now?". The timer is below the ten minute threshold.

"Break… the …panel ..and you can access the core detonator…It..it's going to blow …regardless..so..you need to get it away from the …main bomb unit." Chuck's voice is coming out in gasps now, the adrenaline high fading quickly. He can feel the muscles in his arms and legs protesting but he does not pay them any heed. Sarah has been limp in his arms, her head back and he knows that she's either not breathing or that her breathing is so shallow that not enough oxygen is being taken in. He sees the red blinking lights in the distance and knows that it's the ambulance Casey was talking about. He can hear Casey's muttering under his breath and the noise of something being hit.

"Casey..you still need to ensure that…nothing else ruptures…" Chuck's frantic voice cuts in and he's relieved to hear Casey stop.

"How else am I going to break it?" Casey grounds out the question, frustration coming through for the first time as he looks at the timer.

Chuck is at least appreciative that Casey has held off on calling him a moron and also knows that currently Casey's life is in his hands as much as Sarah's is. His partners need him and he will not let them down. "There's..a bag..in the corner…Nitrogen cylinder….small amount….enough..to crack…the panel." He knows he is slowing down and his voice is already weak but at least Casey has received the message and he can hear him searching for the nitrogen.

Casey sees the small cannister and quickly uses it to weaken the panel, finally cracking it open to reveal the explosive detonator. It's a cylinder the size of his fist, filled with a clear viscous liquid and suspended in the middle is a small black cube. "I think I have the detonator, clear liquid, black cube. Anything else I need to know?"

Chuck stops then, knowing that he needs to tell Casey the next part as it's the most difficult. "You can't..let..the cube…touch the side..of the cylinder..It'll casue the ignition….Right now…it's..counting..down…as well though..Put it in…the elevator shaft is reinforced…Casey..I'm.."

"Bartowski, get her to the ambulance. I''ll see you soon." Casey slowly raises the detonator stopping only when he sees the cube move on its own volition closer to the wall of the cylinder. He does not look at the timer any longer, instead concentrating on the small black cube. His footsteps are measured as he holds the cylinder before him and slowly walks out of the room. He does not have much time to get to the lift shaft but he also has never been one to give up. He hopes Sarah is also in the same frame of mind.

Chuck can see the military paramedics standing next to the ambulance and it takes most of his remaning strength to call out to them. As soon as he does though, he's glad to see them rush about, grabbing IV pouches and bags and pushing the stretcher to where he has finally stopped.

"Agent Bartowski, Sir, you need to let go. I'll take her from here" Chuck looks down to see the young man with him arms outstretched but he cannot seem to agree to lose all physical contact with Sarah. He can feel the man slowly lift Sarah out of his arms and he again wants to protest but stops himself knowing that he has done all he can to help and right now what she needs is the medical attention.

"It's ok Sir, Colonel Casey briefed us. We just need to do our jobs here. You can hold her hand as soon as we strap her down on the stretcher, ok?"

Chuck is amazed that the he's being shown so much empathy and just nods as he sees them work over his wife, their hands a blur as needles are pushed in and bandages and dressings are used to stem the flow of blood. Finally they cover her body with a reflective blanket. However, the one thing that stays with Chuck though is the redness of her blood, a stark contrast against her pale skin. All he hears is her faint heartbeat as one of them finally hooks up the monitor. It's the only thing he hangs onto as he collapses to his knees, his legs finally giving out.

"He BP is falling, give her oxygen now, I'm going to push a bit of epi." Chuck can hear the urgency in the voice and it's coupled with Casey's steady breathing in his ear. All his other senses though are attuned solely on Sarah as he slowly pulls himself off the ground, his footsteps unsteady. He reaches Sarah and finally holds her hand, not acknowledging that it feels so cold.

"Casey, they're working on her. Where are you?" Chuck strains to hear any response but none is forthcoming. "Casey, come in Casey, what is your status." He shouts louder such that it drowns out the sounds of the paramedics working. He knows that he's faced again with a choice that has no upside either way. Sarah always cautioned him about such times knowing that they would come. He had always joked back that both Casey and her were so good at what they did that he would not have to contemplate making such decisions.

Chuck knows though what he needs to do now as he grabs the two way radio hooked onto the side of the stretcher and addresses the paramedics, "Take care of her and give me an update every three minutes. I want to hear her heartbeat. You make sure of that." He sees them nod and again, he takes off in a run, tracing back the same path he had taken to get there.

"Casey?" The only sound coming through the link now is the ambient industrial noise from the refinery. Chuck's at least glad that there hasn't been an explosion as yet although he knows it's only a matter of minutes. He pushes himself again all the while calling out to Casey, this time at the top of his lungs as the other hand holds the radio to his ear.

Chuck can still hear Sarah's faint heartbeat though the radio as the two men work on stabilizing her. He can hear their voices but pushes it to the background, instead only concentrating on the beeping noise. The terminology they are using not exactly foreign because of his exposure to both Ellie and Devon. But now though their meaning so much more entrenched in his psyche because of their relation to Sarah. He does not care though as he only wants to count the beeps he hears.

It does not occur to him that perhaps he had been too lucky up until now. That fate had given him all the breaks he deserved and all the time he needed but time has now run out. That time is only a precious commodity when you realize that it has run out. He had been so sure in his belief that Sarah would never leave him intentionally that he never ever imagined that she could ever be taken cruelly and prematurely away. All these thoughts only suddenly coalescing in his mind as he hears the beeps slow down, only to finally stop and be replaced by the low hum of a flatline from the monitor.

Almost instantaneously, he looks in the direction of the Refinery to see the large vapour explosion light the night sky. Finally he is blown off his feet by the feedback and sound of the explosion a second later, his body hitting the ground a few feet away.

"Sarah?.....Casey?..." Chuck utters two names before the blackness finally takes over.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading and I would really like to know what you think of this chapter so any reviews or feedback is totally welcomed. The next Chapter (when I write it) is entitled Chuck vs The Beginning. So please click the review button as all reviews are anxiously expected :D. **


	2. Chuck vs The Beginning

**A/N - I really do like writing in this universe but have realized that although I do have a tendency to write long chapters, I can write shorter ones too to get the story out faster so I'm going to try that. Furthermore, I was going to not address the cliffhanger of the last chapter but changed my mind (writer's prerogative) and for those who like to read the last page of novels, you can scroll down to read the second section. For those who enjoy the journey, just read through it and tell me what you think.  
**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs The Beginning**

_**Bartowskis' Apartment, Silver Lake, 7.02am, 7**__**th**__** November 2009**_

"_Sarah?" Chuck's voice has that sleepy quality that indicates that he's still not quite fully awake although he's quite cognizant that Sarah's not in bed with him which thus prompts his response. He slowly opens his eyes as his hands roam the other side of the bed, to just confirm what he already knows. The fact that he feels a slightly bit empty because she's not there is not lost on him. They arrived back from Vegas yesterday, not exactly well rested but definitely happy and content. He can smell the eggs and hear the bacon sizzling in the pan and is amazed that Sarah actually woke up early just to make breakfast. _

_He walks out of their room, rubbing his eyes and not caring that his hair is in total disarray until he notices how put together Sarah is. He can see her through the kitchen window and as always, her quiet beauty astounds him. "Hey, need a hand?" He goes to her, putting his arms around her waist as his chin rests on her shoulder. _

"_Just to finish all this." She indicates to the serving dish filled with eggs, bacon and pancakes as she leans back into him, her body perfectly melding into his. _

"_Great I'm starving." Casey's loud voice startling Chuck out of his reverie although he still does not let go of Sarah. He can see Sarah smiling though as she turns around to greet their not totally unwelcomed visitor. _

"_Hey Casey, welcome back." She does not think twice as she goes to hug him, only realizing her faux pas when she feels him stiffen. "Sorry, new habit." Sarah is not really embarrassed for her actions but more embarrassed for Casey who does not expect it. She's realized that she doesn't mind the hugs, giving or receiving them and her initial reluctance was due more to not having anyone to hug as oppose to not liking it.  
_

"_Dammit Walker, I leave you for one week and you go all girly on me." He tries to keep his expression stern but the smell of the food causes his stomach to growl and it ruins his indignant effect._

"_Don't get snippy with my wife." Chuck loves the fact that he can refer to Sarah that way and never passes up the chance to do so._

"_She was my partner first before she became your wife, numbnuts" It's the look that Casey gives Chuck that shuts him up, more than the words._

"_How's Cole?" Sarah hands Casey a full plate and grabs her coffee mug before joining them at the table. Her interjection really not that necessary now as she can tell that their conversation no longer takes on a the belligerent tone at all but is more along the lines of friendly rivalry coupled with grudging respect._

"_As surprise as I was that you said no to Section chief." He had written her a damn fine letter of Recommendation, which he would never tell her of, or admit to and it really was a shame that she did not take up the post. He has a pretty good notion as to the why but still hadn't figured out the specifics as to the how she could just give it up._

_Sarah does not want to have this conversation with Chuck there because she does not want him to have to defend her decision. She also wants to discuss their lack of success in finding Benkhofer's body and knows that Chuck is still uncomfortable with talking about that. So, she looks at him, no words are spoken but he understands that she wants to explain it to Casey on her own terms. It's Casey who's surprised when Chuck actually looks at the both of them and gets up, holding his plate in his hands. "Listen, I promised Morgan I'll get in early to help open the store. He's apparently allergic to that responsibility. Anyway, I'll also get Castle ready for our briefing with Beckman." _

"_See you in a bit." She leans in as he bends down to kiss her, ignoring the grunt and probable eye-roll that Casey is giving them and not taking her eyes off him until he enters their room._

"_My life is here now." She takes a sip from her mug as she finally looks at Casey. _

"_You're walking a fine line trying to live in the two worlds" Casey is not trying to bait her but really wants to understand her motivations. He had spent the past three days with Ilsa and on the last day as she sent him to the airbase, she had asked him to request for a transfer to Europe. She had not promised anymore than that but the tantalizing offer had been on his mind all throughout the flight back and even now, the offer is still echoing in his head._

"_Casey, I'm not trying to have everything here." Sarah had not intended to force the issue and knows that she does not have to justify her actions but she also knows that by accepting the local assignment, she had also put the onus on Casey to stay with the team. "Chuck and I made the decision independently and you need to do that too." _

_Casey's honor system was relatively straight forward and based on his love of country and the people he served with. He had never strayed from that belief and wasn't about to start now although he was beginning to accept that Sarah and Chuck's example need not be an anomaly but actually more of a precedent. "I gave my word to General Beckman that I was fully committed to this team so you're stuck with me although I'm going to be planning a few more private days." He smiles because he knows that he's just not ready to take the step with Ilsa although now that he has a template for it, it's only a matter of time for him. "Why did you ask Bartowski to make himself scarce. I thought there were no more secrets between the two of you."_

"_There aren't but he's not sleeping well. Nightmares of Benkhofer." She had been woken up three nights running by his moans and restlessness. Each time he had awakened only after calling out her name. He would then look at her, his eyes wide and his breath uneven, as if ensuring she was still there before encircling her in his arms, their bodies touching end to end. She could see that he was embarrassed by the nightmares and she had chosen to remain silent, allowing him the comfort of her presence with no judgment on her part. However, their frequency and his agonized reactions were not good for him and it worried her.  
_

"_About him coming after Chuck?" He knows that despite Chuck's own bravery and the training of the past year, he was still a novice in the game._

"_Actually as far as I can figure, more about him coming for me." She can still hear the anguish in his voice as he called her name and knows that if their roles were reversed, she would be dreaming about the same thing. Only she's had years to learn to compartmentalize and he hasn't. Adding to that, he's always felt responsible for her well being even before they were married and it had just intensified after. To be fair, the feelings were mutual on her part but she was more used to dealing with such pressure.  
_

"_All of his funds have been confiscated. We staked out every conceivable place he had ever set foot in or could go for refuge." Casey shakes his head knowing that the only way Chuck would stop the nightmares was when he had irrefutable proof of Benkhofer's death. He had witnessed the length that Bartowski would go to save Walker and can imagine the effect of not knowing for certain if the man who wanted to kill your wife was actually dead. "By all logical accounts, he is dead."_

_Sarah will not lie to Chuck or drug him. However, she also does not want him to be plagued by nightmares and at this juncture, she's not sure what to do. "He won't take anything and I can't lie to him about Benkhofer. I won't tell him that his body was found. At least not yet."_

"_Maybe I can convince him." Casey's not going to lie either but he's had more perspective on the situation than Walker did considering she had been held captive by the madman. He sees her nod and smile for the first time since they started talking. _

"_Thanks Casey. I'd better get ready, Beckman wants to brief us soon. Intel on the Black Russian came through on Thursday but we still need to confirm our plan of attack." She's glad that Casey's staying at least for the time being. She has faith in Chuck and his abilities but she knows that she's still too emotionally attached to him to handle his further training and Casey helps there as well as gives them perspective. She does not expect their new assignment to be easy but is banking on the fact that it'll have to be easier than the one they had just finished._

**Camp Pendleton Naval H****ospital, San Diego, 9.23am, 5****th**** December 2010**

Rebecca used to hate the night shift at the hospital until she got assigned to the private floor. Since then, she had met three senators, a governor or more specifically the governator and more than one bona fide hero. She's so used to the secrecy and anonymity required that she never expects to see names, ranks or serial numbers, just pseudonyms used to conceal their identities. The two new arrivals though were a slightly different breed and she 's definitely more than curious with respect to how they had ended up here.

The woman had been rushed into surgery the minute the chopper had landed. She had coded twice in transit and was on a respirator but since then, her heartbeat had remained resilient although still weak. She had only just got out of surgery and throughout the entire time, the man had not sat down or moved from the observation window. He had just stood there, his features stoic and unemotional although his hands had been clenched for the entire duration of the surgery. His phone had rung but he had ignored it and only after it had rung twice more, did he switch it off.

She had wheeled her new patient into the room at the end of the hall and only then managed to have a good look at her. There were faint bruises beneath her eyes but otherwise, her face was untouched. She looked asleep although Rebecca knows that its not the case and that she had been placed in a drug induced coma in order to give her body time to recover from the shock of getting shot and to allow her lungs some respite. The only outward sign of injury were the tubes and needles going into her and the machines surrounding her bed. She looks beautiful and young and its a difficult reminder that fate does not always take youth or vigor into account. Her injuries are severe and for all her nursing experiences, Rebecca has never seen people fully recover from such trauma, either physically or mentally.

"I can start weaning her off the drugs tomorrow." Rebecca addresses the man sitting by the bed. He looks up at her and she waits for his response, not sure if he had understood her meaning. He shakes his head as if clearing it and looks at the woman before answering.

"She'll wake up soon after?" His voice is gravelly most likely due to the fumes from the explosion although he's quite sure that the shouting at the refinery did not help either. He had shouted at the medics and the agents who had arrived soon after and at anyone who had been there. He had even shouted at her the second time she had coded en route to the hospital. Only he had not known it was the second time then and only found out when the medic told him later. He wants to do more than sit here and hold her frail hand but he had made a promise.

"Pretty much. Can I get you anything else? The cuts on your face could get infected." She looks at his face and hands and can see that they have been cut by flying debris of some kind. She goes to her cart and takes out an antibiotic shot only to see him cringe. "You have got to be kidding me. Big guy like you afraid of a little needle." He grunts in response and turns his head as she injects his arm. "Husband or boyfriend?" Rebecca knows that it's really not her business to ask but their sudden arrival and the fact that she does not recognize them all points to the fact that they are special in some way.

He looks directly at her, his jaw set and she knows that he will not answer, not because the question is inappropriate but because the answer is really not necessary for her to do her job. She recognizes the look on his face as well, fatigue and shock mixed with anger and frustration. The newly injured vets normally wore the same one when they first returned stateside. "There's a cot in the closet and pillows there too." She can tell that he's not going to use them as he leans forward in his chair, head down, his large hand still holding the woman's limp hand and does not look at her when she exits.

He waits a full minute after the nurse had exited before starting. "I know you can hear me." He starts to talk, not really sure that he should tell her this but needing to do it because he had been asked to. "So listen up, you're going to wake up tomorrow and it's going to be painful because you got shot and because Chuck's not going to be here to see you." Casey looks at the screen monitoring her heartbeat and notes that it's gone up a beat. "I managed to get the detonator into the shaft and was rappelling down the side when it blew. I lost the transmitter and woke up flat on my back."

He had lost his hearing too, only recovering it an hour ago although he is still hearing a faint ringing noise whenever someone talks to him. "The medics said he was running back to the refinery to find…"The heroic idiot never really did follow protocol and Casey shouldn't have been surprised that once Chuck had ensured that Sarah was in good hands, he would have tried to go back to the refinery to assist him. "He came back to find me only now we don't know where he is. They're still searching the compound and surrounding area. I only found the two way radio he was carrying about a two hundred meters from the entrance of the refinery. But no sign of Chuck."

Casey raises his head finally looking at Sarah for the first time since he started talking. "I promise that we'll find him. You just need to get better and once you're up, I'll…We'll find him." The very definition of duty had always meant that Casey never had to make promises because it was always intertwined and inferred in his actions. However things have changed since he joined Operation Bartowski and he's making them more and more, first to Bartowski a few months ago and now to WalkerI he wasn't careful, he'd start to lose perspective like they had but again, he knows that it might already be too late. He's already ignored two calls from Iisa and knows that eventually he has to call her back but right now, he can only deal with this situation.

He looks at the monitor once again and reads her vitals. He's always knows that she was much stronger than she looked. One had to be to survive her upbringing, Bryce and the entire Intersect project, not to mention going undercover last year. She had taken two bullets and lost so much blood that she used up most of the stock in the hospital and he still had to donate some along the way. Her heart had stopped twice but they managed to bring her back each time and she had to undergo simultaneous surgeries to remove one bullet and repair the damage from the other.

The main issue as he sees it was that all these physical hurts would not compare to the hurt she will have to endure when she finds out that her husband is in effect missing and that they had no idea where he was or even if he was still alive. He had wrestled with not telling her at all and the current dry run he had, already has him in knots. However, she's his partner, the best one he's ever had and he knows that he owes her and Chuck his life and thus knows he has to keep talking to her about this until she awakes.

He settles into his chair, never once letting go of her hand as he begins to talk again.

**The End**

**So I learnt that polls are good for the soul and for reviews. Anyway the poll here is**

**A) Chapter length and pace is fine. Discuss  
**

**B)Please get to the action and soon. Discuss**

**C) Where's Chuck? Discuss**

**D) Sarah's not getting amnesia but....Discuss  
**


	3. Chuck vs The Plan

**A/N - So thanks for all the nice reviews and it's great to know that you liked the first series though I hope that this is living up to your expectations as well. So in this chapter we deal with the different plans that are afoot and a bit of light is shed on Chuck.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs The Plan**

_**The Castle, Burbank, 8.20am, 7****th**** November 2009**_

_"You're a dead man, Bartowski." He holds the gun to his side as he peers over the counter trying to spot where Chuck is hiding. He knows that he's somewhere near the computer banks by the staricase but does not want to give his own location away so he slowly belly crawls towards the stairs where he thinks he should be able to target Chuck more accurately. He had counted the shots fired and knows that Chuck probably only has one left in his clip or if he's lucky, none at all._

_Chuck's breathing hard as he drop rolls into the alcove beneath the stairs. He does not think that he has made a tactical mistake but he's pretty sure that he is completely out of ammo as he had already used up all of his in cover fire, in getting to this point. He sits facing the weapons room, his gun pointed out as he waits knowing that he can try and bluff his way out although odds are agaist him._

_He does not expect to be grabbed from behind as the arm circles his throat and pulls him off his feet, a hand covering his mouth. It's only when he hears her whisper in his ear, does he stop struggling, "Take it easy, we'll handle this." Chuck turns to see Sarah looking at him, a small smirk on her face and he nods in response, pointing to the back. It's then that he hears the popping sound of the gun going off and Morgan's indignant voice._

_"Hey, no fair. Who asked you to join in." Mogan stands up, a dart sticking out of his forehead and various others on his arms and back._

_"Listen moron, this is not an arcade and you call this a gun? This is not a gun." Casey holds up the toy pistol with a disgusted look on his face. "This is a gun." Casey takes out his Sig Sauer P229, brandishing it in front of Morgan, revelling in seeing his eyes go wide._

_Chuck knows that Casey's just trying to scare Morgan into never coming downstairs to Castle and by the looks of it, it is actually working as Morgan audibly gulps while taking a step back as Casey loads a bullet into the chamber. "Ok, little buddy, we'll continue this later, we're going to need to prepare for a briefing."_

_"Sure thing." Morgan's not looking at Chuck but still keeping an eye on John Casey as he holds the gun, tapping his finger closer and closer towards the trigger. "Um. ok, I think I hear Anna calling. I'll be right up, sweetie." He turns and runs to the stairs taking it two at a time. He had been surprised when Chuck had showed him the space this morning when he asked about secret lairs and was so tempted to use the tunnel to the BuyMore to give Emmet a scare but then Chuck had proposed a game of Gotcha. He had asked to used one of the weapons from the room but Chuck had insisted that if Casey found out, they would not survive the day. So he got the toy pistols from Jeff's locker. Unfortunately, he had not taken them with him and would now have to go to the Largemart to replace them before Jeff found out. But it's a beeter solution than facing Casey and his scary gun which he probably named. He quickly enters the code Chuck had told him as he finally makes his way into Chuck's office. Morgan takes a deep breath and adjusts his shirt, before going out front to see if Anna had finally arrived._

_Casey does not say a word as he sees Morgan scurry away but instead goes to check his beloved weapons to ensure that the two iditos had not touched anything. He can hear the low tones of Sarah talking to Chuck and still holds out some hope that she's at least reaming him for brining Morgan down here although the hope vanishes completely when he hears her end of the conversation._

_"…not a bad idea to let Morgan know that he has a place to hide with the guys should anything occur." Sarah has always planned for contingencies and has realized that her plans have to include her new extended family. Hence, she had ensured that Ellie and Devon's new car had been reinforced with bullet proof glass and armored plates and now, she's happy that Morgan the guys upstairs could access Castle should anything untoward ever occur. Although she's sure that if Jeff ever made his way down here, they'd have to sanitize the place before they used it again._

_"For crying out loud Walker, do you want to start a knitting group with Jeff while you're at it." it was a complete travesty that his sanctum was going to be defiled by civilians but ever worse was that Walker was encouraging it._

_"Casey, they are working in a CIA front and assisting agents even though they don't know it and for that, they should have a safe place to go just in case." he acknowledges her point with his patented grunt number 44 (I hate it that you're right) as he switches on the monitor for Beckman's briefing._

_"Good Morning Team. I trust that you are ready to begin your next mission." General Beckman does not wait for an answer as she puts the various documents and pictures on the large screen for them to view. "Alain Girard Lefevre, also known as the Black Russian.."_

_"Wait a minute, isn't that some sort of false advertising or something. I mean he's seriously not Russian at least not with that name and definitely not of African descent, I mean he's whiter than I am." Chuck cannot help but comment and can see Sarah trying to hide her smile but not quite succeeding._

_It's Casey though who answers, " Yeah but that's no worse than you being highlighted as the most important Intelligence Asset we have." He raises his eyebrows in anticipation of Chuck's sputtering response._

_"Boys, much as I like to continue this conversation, I think the General wants to give us our orders." Sarah holds Chuck's hand as she states this, knowing that he'll not argue with Casey._

_"Thank you Agent Walker. I am please to say that you will be in charge of this operation and that Colonel Casey will be going undercover to infiltrate Alain's new terrorist organization. Reports show that he's already set up base in Peoria Arizona." She had been somehow surprised when Agent Walker had turned down the post of Section Chief but also a bit glad because it meant that Chuck Bartowski was still going to be on US soil and therefore still under her purview. For all of Colonel Casey's blustering, she was still convince that Chuck was the most improtant asset they had and due to that, would still be protected at all costs whether he wanted to be or not. "Agent Bartowski."_

_"Yes ma'am." Chuck actually feels like standing up and saluting but decides that Casey would probably think he was making a joke so he just sits up a bit more straight as he looks to the screen._

_"You will be running the surveillance and Tech Ops for this mission. All of our tech should be at your disposal." Chuck knows that the best words he had ever heard in his life was Sarah saying I Do to him when they got married. However, the words currently uttered by the General really comes in a decent second._

_"Colonel Casey, your cover has already been activated and at this time, you have been demoted back to Major and are currently on suspension for misconduct. A meeting has been arranged with a Thomas Sheldon day after tomorrow. He has been recruiting for Alain and knows of your grievances." Casey nods at the instructions, already trying to remember if he still had his old uniform with his old rank._

_"Ok then Team, your Primary objective is to find out it's US targets and stop those attacks. Secondary Objective is to infiltrate the organization and learn of all its inside links to the military and otherwise. You will be accorded as much leway as requested by Agent Walker and within my aegis, in carrying out these objectives but please note that should you be caught doing anythnig illegal on US soil, you will be disavowed. You flight to Luke Airforce Base leaves this evening. Good Luck."_

_**Peoria, Arizona, 11.20am, 9****th**** November 2009**_

_"Stop moving or I won't be able to secure this properly." Chuck's been trying to secure the new listening device to Casey for the past five minutes. The small cylindrical device in itself has already been glued to Casey's back but it's the body paint and fake mole that is giving Chuck trouble._

_"Do it quick." Casey grits out, not liking the fact that Chuck has been trying to glue a fake mole to his back and not succeeding leaving bits of glue everywhere._

_"Let me." Sarah finally steps in as she quickly does the job and takes a step back to admire her handiwork. "Looks as real as it can get. Chuck, you better do the sound check." She sees Chuck fiddling with the buttons and dials and is amazed that he really does look like he belongs in there with them. He had specifically requested for a number of equiptment, knowing when and where they would come in handy and had even though Casey how to use the new tracking devices._

_"Sound check is good. Radius should work for five miles and considering the meet is just two blocks down, we should hear everything as if we were there." He gives Casey the thumbs up and accepts the eyeroll he gets back as approval._

_"Ok, you're going in unarmed so if anything appears wrong, you can abort and we'll come in. Code words are, I am unarmed." Sarah knows that Casey views this assignemt as a walk in the park but she does not want to take any chances as she gives him the final instructions. "Meet is in the abandon warehouse and there's two pints of entry. We'll come in on the South side if you say the words. Should take us about six minutes. Hit the deck because we'll come in hot."_

_Casey grunts in reply as he adjust the insignia on his uniform. He's not uncomfortable with going undercover although he knows that he does not have the best talent for it. However, the cover story fits so well that he really does not have to pretend much. "I'm just making first contact, not pledging allegiance as yet. Relax Walker. This is a walk in the park."_

_--------------------------------------------------_

_He exits the van before she can respond and walks towards the intersection. The leisurely stroll towards the warehouse gives him just enough time to slip into character and by the time he reaches the door, he can already feel the righteous indignation of being put on suspension for doing his job._

_"Colonel Casey?" The man standing in the shadows is about his height and weight although he looks about ten years older. Casey gives an angry grunt in response before answering. "Not anymore. Uncle Sam thought it was best that I went back to Major." His hands are in fists by his side and his stance makes it look like he's ready for a fight._

_"But you are still in the army, still in charge of logistics and weapons storage at Luke?"Casey's eyes narrow as he strains to get a better look at Sheldon._

_"What's it to you. You seem to know about me more than I know about you." He takes a step closer only to see Sheldon finally take out his gun._

_"I'm not really important here although my employer is very interested in gaining your services. You seem to have racked up quite a bit in gambling debts. Debts that you were intending to pay by selling some of the Army supplies." The gun is still pointed at him although Casey knows that he has a pretty good chance of taking him down if it came to that._

_"Yeah but I got caught."He sighs as he finally runs his hand through his hair, showing a bit of frustration._

_"Well, what if I told you that you won't get caught again, if you join us. Your debts will be cleared as soon as you agree." Casey shakes his head and gives a short derisive laugh._

_"Just like that? That sounds like bull." He hears the gun cock and his muscles tense as he sees Sheldon bring it up and discharge it, the bullet whizzing by his ear._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Chuck's out of his chair, one hand on the door handle while the other reaching for his gun when he feels Sarah's hand on his arm._

_"What are you doing?" he looks at her incredulously as he tries to process if she had heard the same conversation he had as well as the sound of the gunshot. "he's shooting at Casey." he states as he again tries to open the door, only to have her hand grip him tighter._

_"Yes, and Casey hasn't given us the code." She can see the worry in Chuck's eyes and wonders if this was how he was when she had gone under cover last year. She softens her voice as she continues, "He's fine. Sheldon's just making a point as to who's in charge." She hears another shot discharged and Casey's painful grunt and is a bit taken aback as she goes to the monitoring equiptment to check if she can hear Casey breathing. She hears the door open though as Chuck goes out and curses under her breath as she follows him._

_"Chuck, no." She finally catches up to him this time holding onto his arm. "We have to follow protocol here. Please get into the van." She does not want to order him in but knows that if it came to that, she would. She holds her breath only letting it out when she sees him relenting. Thankfully, she can hear Casey's belligerent voice. _

_"You son of a bitch. You shot me."_

_Chuck's eyes widen in response as he looks at Sarah accusingly only to realize his almost mistake as he hears Sheldon's next comment._

_"Yes, I did. And if you were trying to play me, your backup would have been on their way here and my backup would have taken them out."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Casey's holding onto his arm, trying to stem the flow of blood. He really does not like being shot but at least this time, no appendages were lost. He knows that Waker is listening to this and says the next words for her benefit. "Fine. Since I've had worse mosquito bites, I'll give you this. But if you ever point a gun at me again. I'll kill you." He does not have to raise his voice with the threat but he can see that Shedon does understand that he really means what he says. "Now, when do I meet your boss?"_

_"Right now. There's a transport out back." it wasn't the response he was expecting but knows that the meeting is necessary to start their mission as he slowly follows Sheldon towards the door._

**Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital, San Diego, 11.52am, 6th December 2010**

Casey stands in the corner, trying to stay out of the way as the nurse and doctor work on removing Sarah's intubation tube. She had struggled to pull it out when she first regained conciousness twenty minutes ago and only stopped when Casey restrained her, talking her through her disorientation. He can clearly see the question in her eyes though as they dart around searching for the one person who isn't there.

"Easy now, just exhale as we pull this out." The doctor's voice is soothing although Casey can see that it's doing nothing for Sarah as her hands are clenched and her entire body is tensed to a point where it could be hurting her.

"Come on Walker, relax and let the doctor do his job." his voice is not as gruff as he thought it would be but it's only when he lays his hand on top of hers, does she finally relax and allow for the tube to be fully removed. Her coughing fit sounds nasty and he just holds her until it passes, not saying anything more because he knows that she wants to ask the one question that he really does not have an answer for.

"Where's…Chuck." Her voice is so soft that if he wasn't expecting the question, he would have a difficult time in deciphering it. Casey sits by her side as he looks straight at her, eyes unblinking. he sees the naked fear in her eyes and knows that like all spies, she's expecting the worst possible answer. "I don't know. But we're going to find out." He sees her eyes cloud over but she does not cry.

"Alive." it is not posed as a question and he realizes that she's telling him that Chuck is alive.

"How do you know?" Casey truly wants to believe her but without empirical proof, he does not have the faith.

"I…know" Sarah does not know where she is or how many days had passed since their botched mission. However, she has always known that the bond she has with Chuck is so strong that she would feel it if it were severed and at this time, she knows he's out there somewhere trying to get back to her. She feels weak and is not really sure of whether she can move but she tries to sit up anyway. because just lying there doing nothing to save Chuck is more painful that the physical hurts she has.

"Hey, doc said you shouldn't move." Casey stands up again, agitated that she's not listening. "I need you to get better and I'll be your eyes and ears outside." he's offering her an interim solution and notes that at least she's stopped her quest to kill herself with over-exertion in the meantime as she grabs his hand with surprising strength.

"Find…him".

**Unknown Location, 11.53am, 6th December 2010**

Chuck does not know the time or day or even if he's still in the Continental United States. All he remembers is waking up on the cot by the wall, his clothes and watch had been removed and he was dressed in a simple cotton top and pajama pants. He's checked every inch of the room he has been kept in and cannot find any clue as to where or who has imprisoned him here. There is a slot in the metal door where he has been provided with four set of meals thus far. However, he has not been able to see how they have been delivered on account of being unconcious each time. Only waking up groogy and disorieted to see the food either already delivered or the empty trays already taken away.

He has always been a social person and the current isolation is taking its toll on him although his minor wounds had been dressed and the food he had been provided with was quite palatable. The problem though was the fact that his last concious memory before the explosion was of Sarah flat-lining. He cannot reconcile that memory with the feeling that she's still out there and it scares him because he does not know if it just pointless hope on his side or something tangible and true.

When he had first regained conciousness in this room, he had spent the first few hours calling her name out lound until his voice turned raw and finally until it just gave out. Chuck is beginning to realize though that it really is up to him because even if Sarah is alive and he believes that with his entire being, she was still seriously hurt and the onus would be on him to get back to her.

He's already found a way to keep track of time by counting the meals assuming that he's been here at least two days since his first awakening. He does not want to continue to just wait though and already has the beginning of a plan in his head. He knows he needs to get back to Sarah and nothing will stop him. Chuck slowly rises from his cot and makes his way over to where he thinks the gas is being piped into his room.

**The End**

**Ok, the poll for this Chapter is**

**A) You shot Sarah in Chapter 1 and now Casey in Chapter 3. Is Jomarch getting too trigger happy? Discuss**

**B) Alain Girard Lefevre or Rainer Benkhofer, who is more evil? Discuss**

**C) Will Chuck escape or does he need Casey's help? Discuss**

**D) When will jomarch run out of polling questions and revert to politely asking for reviews?**


	4. Chuck vs The Surprise

**A/N – Ok, firstly thanks To Madje Knotts for the Awesome feedback and to my new beta DLK (who is a brave soul to volunteer to be subjected to my hideous spelling and split infinitive obsession). Anyway, I do hope you like this chapter because it took me a couple of re-writes and I'm finally (I think) happy with the direction.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs The Surprise**

_**Peoria, Arizona, 1.24am, 20th November 2009**_

_The second Flash comes quickly on the heels of the first, not giving him any time to recover. However, he can feel Sarah's hands on his back and it centres him enough such that he can concentrate on assimilating the information from both Flashes, drawing conclusions that would not have been possible before._

"_What are they trying to build?" Casey's voice is clear and anxious, which is a change. Chuck knows though that it's driven more by his distaste for his uncertainty in his current mission as opposed to his lack of knowledge. "C'mon Bartowski, I don't have all night and I need to get back to Base before anyone realizes I'm not there." Casey's been on this mission for all of eleven days and has yet to meet Alain; only succeeding in a short phone call that had been translated by Tommy and conducted mostly in French. Although he's relatively fluent in the language, he had to play his part and wait for Tommy's translation, even holding his tongue when Tommy had made an elementary error._

"_How's your arm?" Sarah can see that Casey's not really bothered by the wound but uses it to distract him and allow Chuck a small respite. As far as missions go, this has been relatively tame, as Casey had spent most of him time on base at Luke and had only been summoned to the compound early last night. He had been given a parts manifest and told to prepare for its transport within twenty four hours. It seemed like it was another test before being allowed to finally meet Alain Lefevre._

"_It's nothing." He does not say anything to Chuck, knowing that Walker had just given him an indirect warning. He really does not like undercover work, especially when he has to do things that could potentially hurt his country should anything go wrong. Worst yet, he had not been able to contact Ilsa since this started. He had been pretty sure that they had more than one spy within Luke and that he would be watched and could not afford to screw up with a call to his… he's actually not too sure what she is to him right now, although he does feel the building urge to define it._

"_As far as I can tell, it can be used to build part of a missile guidance system or a really cool gaming computer. I'm kidding about that." Chuck backtracks as he sees Casey's dark look. "There are some extraneous parts that aren't really usable unless they already have…" he trails off as he quickly rushes to his computer, furiously typing into it as both Sarah and Casey look on._

"_Chuck, what is it?" She's getting used to seeing him like this, so focused and intent. She realizes that he's slipping more and more into his new role and it cements the fact that he's always had the ability within him which had nothing to do with being the Intersect. _

"_Damn it." Chuck does not like being right especially about something like this. He's more comfortable with broken computers and writing program codes for FPS games than trolling secret government databases to prove how megalomaniacal and destructive people can be. However, he knows both Sarah and Casey are depending on him and he cannot let them down. "It's just the two parts out of the twenty four that they're really after."_

_Casey's view of Chuck has changed over time. He remembered the disdain he had for his civilian status and ideals which eventually morphed into respect for the fact that he did not shirk away from his duty when he decided to download the Intersect. He knows that if given the choice, Walker would have asked him not to do it and it would have been the one thing that he would have disagreed with her fully on. "What are you babbling on about?" he says it through gritted teeth only to get Chuck to focus and share his findings before the sun comes up._

_Chuck leans forward in his chair as he looks directly at Casey. "It's a next gen detonator. A bomb within a bomb. This and this." He points to the two parts on the manifest. "Theory is that the explosion can be as large as a nuclear reaction without the need for a nuclear bomb." He does not realize that Sarah has moved to stand next to him until he feels her hand on his shoulder. "What do we do? We can't just …" he trails off as he looks at his wife, hoping as always that she has the answer._

"_Can you sabotage one of the parts? Render it useless?" Sarah knows that Beckman has given her enough leeway to allow the theft to happen, although she can see that both Chuck and even Casey are not in favor of that. She has to be the rational one though, ensuring that the end justified their means._

_Chuck shakes his head. "Not without them knowing it's been tampered. If I had more time, maybe. I'd need to do some research." He wishes he had a better answer._

"_Ok, so I steal it, put a tracer on it and we get you access to it later for you to do your thing." Casey looks at Walker for her consent knowing that it's their only avenue currently._

"_We'll be at the base tomorrow. Just in case." She looks on as Casey exits the van. She can see that he's having some issues with the undercover work but has chosen to keep it to himself and she knows it can be unhealthy. " Casey, wait up."_

"_What is it Walker? I'm already late." He turns on his heel to face her and can see her face soften as she notes his stance. She knows that they really are not friends but they do share a deeper bond as comrades in arms so she does not feel embarrassed by telling him the truth._

"_Call her." She extends her phone to him, her face is free from any judgment. She had never put any of this in her reports and knows that Chuck didn't either. "I knew I couldn't call him, no contact, no mention and it nearly broke me. I finally caved when I had the transmitter last year and actually broke radio silence during the mission. I'm not proud of what I did, but it helped. You're not breaking anything here. That's an order, by the way." She places the phone in his jacket pocket. "Leave it by the door when you're done." Sarah turns and walks back to the van, she can hear him dialing and smiles to herself as she enters._

_She can see Chuck's on the phone and is surprised when he hands it to her "Awesome's trying to reach you." He really does miss Ellie and Awesome, but at least they're still on the same continent. He's a bit curious as to why Devon sounded so anxious to talk to Sarah, but refrains from saying anything else, knowing that he will find out in time. _

"_Hey Devon, you know these numbers are for emergencies only, right?" She says it for Chuck's benefit as much as Devon's, knowing that they both have to learn that rules like these can save their lives._

"_I know and I think this qualifies as one." She's used to his boisterous voice and his current tone is anything but. She does not regret Devon finding out about them, although she knows the toll it can take on his relationship with Ellie and it scares her to think that her newfound family can be torn apart by the discovery of such intricate lies._

"_What's wrong? Is it Ellie?" She can see Chuck gripping the sides of his chair, a worried expression on his face._

"_No, no, she's fine. Actually, it's about your blood test. I just got the general results back and I need your consent to send it for further testing." Sarah shakes her head and mouths to Chuck that Ellie's fine, all the while trying to process what Awesome's not telling her. "So you just need me to give you the go ahead. Ok, fine. So what further test do you need?" her expression does not change as she listens to his voice. "Sure Devon..Ok, Bye." She smiles at Chuck, knowing that she needs to placate him before he jumps to any conclusions._

"_It's nothing. Just a few routine tests that he needs my consent for in order to be able to certify me going forward. I forget that Devon's not CIA trained and he actually follows all medical board rules." She smiles at Chuck, looking at him, hoping he understands her need to not say anything just yet. Her mind is spinning, her thoughts are in complete disarray and its only because of years of training and acquired skill does her expression remain calm._

_He can read her so clearly now that it scares him to know that she may be holding something big from him. Chuck knows that she won't always hide things from him and eventually she'll learn to let him in immediately. It's a delicate balance for her and he realizes that the onus will always be on him to help her navigate that. He knows that her reticence is not borne out of a need to protect herself but more out of a need to protect him. She just needs to accept that he's there to protect her too. "Ok." He takes her hand, "When you're ready." He knows not to push but also knows that she does need the verbal and physical cues to let her know that she can't ever get rid of him. That he'll always be there for her, everyday._

_**White Peak, Peoria Arizona, 21st November 2009**_

_In order to protect his cover, no one on the base, not even the Commander was privy to Casey's mission. Only that he had been demoted from Washington and sent to Luke to be sidelined. It had been extremely difficult for him to ignore the questioning looks and comments behind his back, although his rank still commanded some respect. What rankled the most, though, was that if he were in their place, he would have been less forgiving._

_His theft had gone unnoticed and he had been able to obtain all the parts as requested. The compound at White Peak is not unfamiliar to him, although he's never been allowed to wander about except for the main building. He does not have a good feeling about today, but he cannot put it down to anything substantial, just the fact that it's been more than a week and he has yet to meet Alain. Intel provided by the General had shown linkages between Alain and Tommy, but Casey's beginning to suspect that those linkages are not direct. He does not stand when Tommy enters, but warily watches as three armed men surround him._

"_What's with the extra firepower? You expecting trouble?" He appears nonchalant although he is anything but. The problem was that he is unarmed as requested. He does not want to use his code though, not until he has a better grasp of the situation. _

_--------------------------------------_

"_I'm going in." Sarah takes out her gun, checks the clip and pockets another three. She finally looks at Chuck and can see the worry on his face. "It's just a precaution."_

"_You stopped me the last time and it's a good thing that you did. What's different now?" He really just wants to understand the nuances that seem to sail over his head. Chuck cannot differentiate between the first encounter and this one and it worries him that he'll misestimate what he needs to do, thus endangering either Casey or Sarah._

"_It just is." She shrugs and smiles at him, trying to convey that it's taken her years of mistakes and false starts to get to a point where she completely trusts her instincts in situations like these. "I need you to trust me here, ok?" She touches his cheek briefly._

"_Ok." He hands her the earpiece. "I'll be listening so don't take any chances." He knows he should not feel worried because he knows that she has the skills to do almost anything. However, it does not stop him for uttering his next words, "Be careful." _

_Sarah nods as she quickly exits the vehicle. She can hear Casey's voice though her earpiece and knows that he is becoming more agitated, not because he is but because it's expected of him. She does not expect her phone to vibrate and even more, she does not expect the message Devon has sent. She had spent the night convincing herself that the extra tests would result in nothing. So much so that she had even forgotten that he said he would get back to her. The news, though, puts a different spin on things as she takes a deep breath and breaks radio silence._

_--------------------------------------------_

"_I've done every damn thing you've asked for in the past week and have yet to meet your boss. You know what, I'm done." Casey's finally on his feet, his hands are curled into fists as he looks on belligerently at the four men in front of him. He knows that his chances for survival are good although not without some collateral damage._

"_You work for me and I'll tell you when you're done." Sheldon's gun is not even pointed directly at him and it gives Casey an opening as he rams his body straight into him, wresting the gun away and rolling towards the sofa where he takes cover._

"_Shoot him." He can hear Tommy's angry voice, although the punch he managed to his nose does make him sound nasal and ineffectual._

_He hears the command and smiles, knowing that he can finally unleash as he shoots over the top of the sofa, spraying the room with bullets and forcing the men to take cover. He hears one of them grunt and is happy that he's managed to hit him. He fires again, knowing that he just needs to wait for Walker to come charging in. He does not have to wait long, though, as he hears the room door bust open._

"_Everyone, you're under arrest." It's not the voice he's expecting though, as he stands up and sees Chuck standing there, armed with two guns pointed at Sheldon and his goons. His face is white and he's breathing hard and Casey can tell that something's not quite right. He does not ask the question as he finally expends his pent up frustration by knocking out Sheldon and his men one by one._

"_Where's Walker?" Chuck still has his arms extended, looking dazed and Casey has to repeat himself. "Bartowski, where's Walker?" He does not like not being able to decipher Bartowski's look and not knowing why his partner had sent in her husband into a potentially volatile situation._

"_She's fine." Chuck's actually more affected by Sarah's news than he is by the recent gunplay and he knows that he at least owes Casey an explanation as he looks at him. "She's pregnant." Out of all the news he had been expecting from her, this had been something he had never considered. Not because he didn't want it, but because it would have been too greedy of him to want so much so soon. _

**I5 enroute to San Diego, 1.06pm, 7th December 2010**

Casey can still feel Ellie's eyes boring into the back of his head and he fights the urge to confirm this as he keeps his eyes on the road and not the rear view mirror. He can hear Lisa's soft snores and it's the only sound to permeate the car until Devon breaks the silence.

"Is there anything else about Sarah that's not recorded in her medical file?" He had gotten the call about Sarah three days ago because he had been listed as her primary care physician. Even then, it was only to confirm some of her past medical history and nothing else. The fact that he was unable to contact Chuck or John or Sarah had made him think the worse which had been confirmed when John turned up on their doorstep late this morning, a somber expression on his face and a file under his arm.

"What do you mean?" Casey finally looks into the rear view mirror and can see Devon's worried expression while still avoiding Ellie's piercing stare.

"Like how badly hurt is she psychologically or, let's try this, where the hell is my brother and is he even alive?" Ellie's love of order had been borne out of necessity as opposed to nature. She had learnt the hard way that it was always up to her to maintain the environment or situation she wanted. Leaving it to other people like her parents never got her anywhere. Even with Chuck, she had taken a long time to let go and let him make his own mistakes. She had trusted him and Sarah when they told her that they would come back whole and fine and that unlike her and Chuck and even Sarah, Lisa would always know what it meant to grow up with two parents.

"You're going to wake her." He sighs when he sees Ellie's face fall. "Sarah's, well, she's Sarah, right? She doesn't want Lisa to see her even though the kid's not going to remember anything. And she's adamant that Chuck's out there alive." He knows what her next question is going to be and steels himself to answer. He doesn't want to lie, but he also needs her to be strong to take care of his god-daughter.

"Are you?" Her voice is challenging, although he can see her hopeful expression.

"She's my partner and if she says he is, then he is and I'll make damn sure he's found." It's becoming like second nature now to make promises to the Bartowskis and he knows that pretty soon, he'll really have to follow through. He sees Ellie settle back in her seat, her arm draped possessively around the infant car seat and he hopes that he really will be able to mean what he had just said.

**Unknown Location, 7.25pm, 7th December 2010**

"Lisa, no!" He lunges forward as if trying to catch something only to open his eyes and be hit by the reality that he is alone. His nightmares used to be about Benkhofer killing Sarah, but the ones he's been having the past two days make those seem mild. Chuck knows now that they made the correct decision to let Ellie and Devon take primary care of their daughter at least until they finished the assignment and it hurt that they had come so close.

He's not sure if it's the gas or just his psyche going a bit crazy due to the isolation. However, he does know that he needs to make his move soon because he does not like the conclusion he has drawn about his imprisonment. Lazlo had told him about these facilities and even though Beckman had threatened him countless of times, he would have never guessed that she'd go through with it not if Sarah were still…His entire body freezes at that sentence as he cannot bring himself to finish it.

He's tried to Flash as well, although each time he cannot get to a point where it actually activates. Chuck does not want to examine the reasons too closely because it would mean confronting the fact that even though he wants Sarah to be alive, he does not know if she really is. He knows he should do it for Lisa's sake and, that one time with his dad, he's been able to force flash before without Sarah. However, in the background, he had always known that Sarah would be there. Right now, he's paralyzed with not really knowing.

He does have a semblance of a plan though. The gas used to incapacitate and disorient him is piped though the vent by his bed. He has no way of blocking it just yet, although currently he's also testing the theory that he's being watched. He had woken up again to find another meal delivered, but this time, he does not touch it; instead, just sitting on his bed, he stares at the door as he tries to force himself to Flash again.

--------------------------------------------------

"Subject has not touched his food." He's watching the monitor as he talks on the phone, knowing that he needs to distance himself from this and not refer to Chuck by name.

"Has he flashed?" Beckman's voice is unemotional and he can picture her sitting at her desk.

"Not yet, although he seems to have been trying." He hates the fact that he's still caught up in this and so is Chuck. "He needs to know that she's still alive." He wonders what would happen if he just unlocked Chuck's door or even if he showed himself. He knows what Beckman had threatened would happen and he wonders if she would actually go through with it. He cannot take that chance right now, although there may come a time where he would need to test that theory.

"He needs to realize that he has a duty to his country and he accepted that duty when he downloaded the Intersect. It cannot be used only on a whim, to be activated only by his bond with Agent Walker." It had not been her decision to take Chuck in. Instead, it had been a code black activation because of Chuck's solitary status as the Intersect. Due to the knowledge of Bartowski's and Walker's relationship, it had been the Secretary of Defense who had sanctioned a code black activation if anything were to happen to Agent Walker. Casey's reports had proven beyond a doubt that if anything happened to Sarah, Chuck would not take it well and the Intersect would be lost to them. Hence, the minute she had coded, agents had been dispatched to bring Chuck in. The order could not be rescinded once activated.

"So you're just going to keep him locked up until he dies or proves that he does not need her." The derision is obvious, although its directed at himself as much as it is at her.

"We have no choice. The order is to ensure that the Intersect can still function, otherwise.." Beckman has given his termination order before and knows that she may need to do so again. It surprises her, though, that deep down she hopes that Bartowski can show some form of backbone and Flash just so she won't have to sign the order again. His incarceration instructions are too specific for her to ignore. Proof that the current Intersect is fully functional or termination.

He sees Chuck finally react as he gets off the bed and takes the tray of food, flinging it towards the door as he shouts.

"What is he saying?" He doesn't repeat Chuck's word as he just places the phone closer to the monitor and lets the General hear for herself as Chuck shouts out the one name that he knows will get him attention. "Beckman."

**The End**

**Can't have a chapter without a poll right?**

**Was the Pregnancy a surprise? Yes/No/I'm still waiting for the amnesia ******

**So Chuck has to step up now and Sarah has to step back. I wonder how that's going to work? Discuss**

**Should Lisa have a middle name? (I'm partial to Casey myself but am open to suggestions)**

**Who is that guy helping Beckman? Discuss**

**What do you think about the direction of the story currently (I really want to know. Thanks!)**


	5. Chuck vs The Best Laid Plans

**A/N – My apologies for the delay but Document Manager was down and writer's block was in full force. I do need to thank DLK for being an amazing beta and also asking all the right questions in order to get the story right in my head. Not to mention ensuring that I only use the alloted amount of the word although. This wasn't an easy chapter to write and it's more introspection than action but the story does move forward. I really hope that everyone is still enjoying the story or at least still interested in reading it. **

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. ****The**** Best Laid Plans**

_**Bartowskis**__**' Apartment, SilverLake, 3.02**__**am**__**, 23**__**rd**__** November 2009**_

_The plane ride back had been uneventful except for the fact that Casey and Chuck kept sneaking looks her way when they thought she wasn't looking. Sarah can already feel it starting, the change in the way they were going to view her and she does not know what to do. She looks over to where Chuck is sleeping and cannot resist touching his face with one hand while the other rest on her lower abdomen. She's always been a good student and knows that embryogenesis has started and it's about a tenth of an inch long. She wonders if it'll have his curls and lopsided smile and prays that it won't have any of her hang ups._

"_Hey, you ok? You should get some sleep." His sleepy voice has a tinge of worry in it and she can see it also reflected in his eyes. The only upside to this is that he had not experienced a nightmare since she told him the news. She really hopes, though, that his fears of __Benkhofer__ have not been superseded by something more frightening in his mind._

"_I'm fine. Are you…" She does not know how to phrase the question and is glad when she feels his hand hold on to hers. "Are you ok with this… development?" She knows it sounds cold and distant and immediately corrects herself__, "__The baby. Are you ok with us having a baby?" She sounds so unsure of herself that it breaks his heart and he pulls her into a hug._

"_You know you make me happy, right?" He can feel her nod into his embrace. "So, on a making me happy scale of one to ten, you rank like a hundred and you and the baby rank two hundred." He's pretty sure that he's said the right thing when he sees her look up at him, eyes bright with tears and a smile on her face. "I hope she has your smile." His voice goes soft as he tries to convey to her the absolute love and happiness that he feels coursing through him._

"_She?"__ All this is so new to her, not their connection which had always been implicitly growing between them, but their evolution into normalcy. Her CIA career had not prepared her for any of this and it scares her to not know what to do or say or even expect. She's afraid of not measuring up as a person because she's always been an agent, putting country and mission before everything else. _

_Chuck can see the uncertainty of the situation beginning to overwhelm her and he realizes that she needs him now more than ever. "Yeah, umm, I mean I think it's going to be a girl and I think you're going to be a great mom." He wraps her in his arms, "We'll do this together." _

_A million examples run through her head on how she's just not going to measure up and although they are not fully negated by his words, the feel of his arms around her and the confidence in his voice abate her fears somewhat. "Yeah, I know." She loves the fact that he sees things so simply, but it also highlights that it's up to her to think of all the contingencies. She kisses him and burrows closer to him as he whispers, "Good Night."_

_Sarah closes her eyes to appease him, but does not go to sleep as she goes through the list in her head. She knows that she will need to be at the top of her game tomorrow because they are still on mission and she needs to see how Beckman's going to react to their new development. Benching her would be the most obvious choice, but the NSA would never give Chuck up easily because of the Intersect. They would probably send in another Agent to take over her field work._

_She had let Chuck take point at the compound in Arizona and the fear that gripped her throughout that ordeal was almost crippling. She does not know how she can protect their baby and Chuck at the same time and it scares her just as much as not knowing if she'll ever be a good parent. She realizes that Chuck has faith in her to do both and that she has to find the courage to try. It's only then does she manage to drift off to sleep._

_**The Castle, Burbank, 7.03**__**am**__**, 23**__**rd**__** November 2009**_

_Casey has always found almost a Zen like comfort in the simple task of dismantling and cleaning his guns. The act in itself is almost automatic and thus provides him the time to chew over what is currently on his mind; foremost of which is their recently failed mission. They had not managed to make contact with Alain __Lefevre__ which meant that they were still on assignment despite the fact that there was no way in hell he was going to allow Walker into the field any longer. It wasn't that he thought she did not have the skills to do her job. It was more the fact that, if Walker were in the field doing her job, __Bartowski__ would not be able to do his._

_He had already seen firsthand the effect her news had on her husband and does not want to have to spend his time protecting __Bartowski__, who would spend all his time trying to protect his wife. This being the case, his only solution was to see how he could convince Walker to supervise from the bench and allow him the room he needed to ensure that her husband did his job without having to think about her safety. He hears her footsteps on the staircase and waits for her to notice his presence._

"_You're here early. What's on your mind?" Sarah had arrived early to try and get in a quick workout which would normally allow her clarity of thought. She had not expected to see Casey in the armory, surrounded by a number of guns in various stages of being re-assembled. Casey's current inscrutability is unsettling and she needs to know that they are still on the same wavelength when it comes to Chuck's well being. She knows that they still have a job to do and that despite her new condition, Beckman would expect them to do whatever it takes to get the mission accomplished._

_He does not look up as he uses the brush to clean the lens of his __Zeiss__ telescopic sight. Instead, Casey takes the time to think through his answer because he does not want to put her on the defensive before he can get his point across. It's only then that he looks up and is surprised to see how radiant she is. He's always accepted the fact that his partner was beautiful and had used her looks in the past to accomplish her job when it called for it. However, despite her pregnancy or perhaps because of it, she was positively glowing and the only thing to mar it was the look of uncertainty on her face. "Congratulations, by the way, on the..." He uses the brush to gesture in her general direction, not really sure how to address it. He knows that it the right thing to say when he sees the smile on her face._

"_I think Chuck's the only one really comfortable in directly addressing it as a baby and my pregnancy. __Though that's probably going to be eclipsed by Ellie's reaction, if…when we tell her."__ It's another dilemma that she needs to address knowing that it would be near impossible for Ellie to forgive Devon for knowing and not telling her, regardless of doctor patient privileges._

"_Do you think you can give it up?" Casey knows she's looking for clarity and a way forward. The question is vague enough to allow her to answer honestly, to really express what she needs to say, out loud. For once, he's not fully surprised by her words as she looks down at her tummy and not at him._

"_I always thought that my job was the most important thing until I met Chuck. He still needs me, but yeah, I think I can give up field work." It's the first time she's ever said it out loud and she's surprised at the fact that she feels no regret. What she does feel, though, is fear for Chuck. "They're not going to let him go, are they?" She does not have to look up to know that Casey's nodding his head. "So what do we do?"_

_He feels the weight of the question on him and he pauses for a moment before he answers, knowing that he's about to change their team dynamic. "We need to change __Bartowski's__ status to Level 4 and downgrade your status to Level 4 with no field work." He finally sees her reaction as her eyes widen in surprise, knowing that its not driven by doubt on Chuck's skills but by the fact that by raising his status Level 4, it would expose him to all the evaluations and contingencies of a top agent including automatic termination orders beyond her control._

"_No." Sarah's voice is sharp and Casey is expecting her reaction as he finally puts the scope down and sighs. He can see that she's driven solely by her emotions and that she's still not thinking straight. He does not say anything else though, hoping that she'll reach the same conclusion he has. General Beckman would still need the mission accomplished with or without Walker and odds were that she would send in a replacement. One who would not appreciate __Bartowski's__ different skill sets or the fact that he was probably also going to try and find his father in the meantime. _

"_He's not ready." She's so focused on Casey and their conversation that she does not realize their new visitor until she hears his question._

"_Who's not ready?" It's not a great leap to know that they're probably talking about him and Chuck's comfortable enough in his skin to understand that despite all they have been through, both Casey and Sarah would never shed their protective roles. However, things have changed yet again and with Sarah's pregnancy, Chuck knows that he has to be that guy that she has always talked about._

_Sarah looks at him and wants so much to protect him, but who she sees is the man who had saved her both physically and emotionally, all the while teaching her the real meaning of courage. She knows that he can do anything he sets his mind to and that he would need the security clearance for them to both finish the mission and to give her the time to search for his father in order to get the Intersect out of his head and into someone else's. "Casey wants to recommend raising your agent status to Level 4." _

_Chuck can see that Sarah is worried about the recommendation, but he trusts Casey enough to know that it's probably necessary. "What does that entail? I mean, can I take Sarah's place in the field?" He's always been a quick study and can guess that Casey would not want Sarah backing him up because of the baby and knowing that it would drive him insane with worry. "So ok, let's do that."_

"_We still need General Beckman to approve it and I'm…I'm still not sure if it's a good idea. Not because you can't do it but because I'm not sure I want you out there." She's learning to be open with him and ignores Casey's eye roll and irritated grunt. _

"_He's going to have to learn to protect himself sooner or later." Casey does not expect her next words, although in hindsight, he should have guessed them._

"_You're going to need someone to watch your back." She looks at Casey as she says this, knowing that for all of Chuck's skills, he was still new at espionage and she isn't sure if he could provide adequate backup for Casey. However, she knows that they really don't have much of a choice here if they want to finish the mission and find Stephen __Bartowski__ in the meantime._

"_Listen, I'll do whatever it takes. I know this is not a game and Casey could get hurt. I can do this." He can see the worry in Sarah's eyes but also her acceptance at his words as he takes her hand in his. "I'll even carry real guns." Chuck reaches out to grab one off the table only to have Casey grab it back._

"_No, I'd rather not get shot accidentally, thank you very much." Though he would never admit it, Casey actually does trust Chuck with a gun. He knows that if Chuck ever did shoot someone, he would have a hard time reconciling that with his conscience._

"_So, what would make General Beckman approve this?" Sarah knows that Casey wouldn't suggest it unless he knew it would be doable._

"_Bryce." He does not like bringing up the dead and can see her pained expression as well as Chuck's shocked one. "The Intersect was always supposed to be a Level 4 Agent until you downloaded it instead." He can see Chuck nod at his words. He knows that Beckman would jump at the chance to upgrade Chuck and use him more extensively in the field. The only reason she had not done so was because she knew that Walker would protest and she needed her to ensure that Chuck could flash._

"_Ok, let's do it. Let's talk to Beckman. I mean what could go wrong, right?"_

**Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital, San Diego, 7.42pm, 7th December 2010**

Ellie's pacing the hallway waiting for Sarah and Devon to come back from yet another round of tests. Lisa is sleeping in her pram and Casey's staring at her, like he's expecting her to have another outburst at anytime. She had not cried once since finding out the news about her brother and sister-in-law, knowing that she needed to stay strong for Lisa. However, she knows that it was still not enough and she can feel the oppressive burden of knowing what she needs to do coupled with the knowledge that in making the call, she may lose her only family forever.

"I…I need some fresh air." She stops in front of John for good measure and looks him in the eye, "I'll be back soon, she's just fallen asleep so she should be ok." Ellie does not wait for his response as she walks towards the exit doors. It's only when she's outside does she take out her cell phone and enter the number that she had memorized last year. She does not connect the call though, instead just looking at the numbers and hoping that she can come up with a good enough reason not to make the call.

She knows that Sarah is in no condition to travel by herself, although with two doctors in tow, she would stand a good chance. Likewise, she understands that Chuck is gone, not dead or at least she hopes not. He had told her that this would happen and that they would need to plan for it. Back then, it had all seemed so surreal to her, like planning for a contingency that was possible but not really probable. She connects the call before she can change her mind and hears it ring on the other end before connecting.

"I don't know how to say this so I'm just going with what I know." There is silence on the other end although Ellie can picture him standing there, listening. "Sarah's been hurt. She should not be moved but if Devon and I come with, we can get her out. The problem is that Chuck's missing. She thinks he's still alive but Casey's…I..I think he's not so sure. You said something like this could happen, that if anything happened to either of them, I should call. So.." She let's the words hang there, realizing that she's been crying the whole time as tears drip down her face.

"It's going to be ok, Ellie, I promise." His voice is soft but she can hear the promise in his words. "You have to be the strong one here, ok?"

She nods even though she knows he cannot see her and waits for him to continue as she grips the phone tighter in her hand.

"Your brother is still alive and I'm going to get him. I need you to stay with Sarah and when I call you, I need you and Devon to bring Sarah and the baby to a place that I'll give you directions to. Can you do that?" Stephen Bartowski had hoped that this scenario would never come to pass. He had planned for it in great detail, all the while praying that things would work out for his son and that he would never have to enact his plan.

It's not that he does not trust his government. It is more the fact that there will always be decisions made based not on an individual's merit but on the justification of greater good. To the government, Chuck was useful only if he could Flash on demand and if not, he would need to be neutralized. Orion had offered to take out the Intersect months ago only to have Chuck refuse because of the duty he felt towards his friend. He knows he should have insisted and perhaps all this could have been averted.

"Dad?" Her voice is tentative and full of grief so much that he can feel her hurt over the phone line as he comes out of his own reverie.

"I'll call soon. Just be prepared. And Ellie, I love you." He hangs up before she can respond and she closes the phone and tucks it back into her pocket. The call has not brought her any comfort but she knew that from the start. She had always promised to look out for her baby brother no matter what and right now, she knows that she has to live up to that promise.

She can picture Devon's surprised expression when she tells him of the plan and hopes that he will understand her need to keep this from him. She had known for sometime that he was in on her brother's secret but could not divulge her own knowledge because of her father's warning. Still, she had not talked to him mainly because she was almost convinced that her father was paranoid and delusional only to have that proven wrong by the recent developments.

She knows that by agreeing to flee with Sarah, she needed to give up her life and ask Devon to give up his in order to save her brother and his family. She walks back into the hospital and sees John holding onto Lisa, her small hand grabbing at his fingers and Ellie finally realizes that her current decision to help Sarah run is one of the easiest to make in all her life.

**Unknown Location, 7.45pm, 7th December 2010**

He's still staring at the monitors although he had turned off the sound sometime back. He can still see Chuck shouting at the top of his lungs and finally ends it by releasing the gas into his room. Beckman had been slightly taken aback at Chuck's prescience at her involvement and for a few seconds, he was almost sure she was either going to relent and tell him about Sarah or at the very least confirm her presence. However, she had done neither and had left him to start prepping Chuck for the testing.

He wheels himself over to the computer banks and notes that like Chuck, he is also being watched, the cameras in the control room recording his every move. However, he knows that they will not pick up anything untoward on his part, not because he feels compelled to follow his orders but because they had planned for this eventuality for so long that almost everything had already been put in place.

He cannot help Chuck directly but that never was his job anyway, especially not when he's paralyzed from his waist down and really cannot mount any sort of escape attempt. However, his injury was his way into this assignment. Beckman would never have trusted him if he had been the person he was before.

He looks at the clock on the wall and opens up the small window on the screen, wanting to relay the most recent development on his end and waiting for the instructions as to his next steps. He knows that they would start testing Chuck in a few days and they would need to get him away before that occurred. He sees the window finally activate onscreen and starts to type, knowing that they only have one chance at this and if they actually manage to succeed, Chuck Bartowski would finally be dead to the world in a few days.

**The End**

**I know a number of readers have pointed out that Chuck being put in the bunker does not make sense. My explanation is that the Secretary of Defense is privy to all high level agents/assests and knows that Chuck's too attached to Sarah so if anything happened to her, they would lose him. Hence the bunker. Sarah did survive but once the order was given to place him in the bunker, they would need to ensure he could still flash. Since they also would know of Lisa and Ellie, it would make sense (at lease in my head) that they will test him to see if he can flash and then use them and Sarah to ensure he would still work the Intersect for them. **

**So now onto the poll**

**A)About time that Ellie is brought into the spy world. Agree/Disagree?**

**B)Who would you like to see brought back from the show? ****Carina/Ilsa/Alex/Cole/Bryce/Lazlo/Anyone lese?**

**C)Is the past mission still holding your interest i.e. ****how they get to Alain, find Orion etc?**

**D)Any other questions I can answer with regards to my overtly convoluted plot?**


	6. Chuck vs The Revelation

**A/N - Firstly, I am so sory that this has taken so long. I have been incredibly swamped with work and other frustrations and have not had time to write. It's iritating to have the story in your head but not have time to write it down! Anyway, I do hope you are still interested in reading this. I do have to thank DLK for beta'ing and encouragement.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Revelation**

_**New York City, New York, 9.39 pm, January 3**__**rd**__**2010**_

"_Target is in sight, waiting for a go. Over." Casey looks through his scope as the truck pulls into the underground car park. He can see his target in the driver's seat, a hat pulled low over her face and her blond hair tied back in a pony tail. He knows that this has all been staged for his benefit, but still, it does not prevent his muscles from tensing as he sights his target through the rifle scope._

_He can feel the tension in his arms and he knows its not all due to the weight of his gun, but instead, due to the fact that he will be taking a shot at a fellow agent. Casey does not doubt his aim or her experience, but he knows that even one small error could result in another mission failure. The team cannot afford that; he cannot afford it._

_Beckman's ultimatum and orders had been very clear and did not give them any room to fail. She had approved of Chuck's level upgrade as well as confined Walker's role to background support only with no field work. As predicted though, she had then dispatched another agent to assist the team. He can see Forrest finally exit the vehicle through the scope and waits for his instructions. He knows that Chuck is in a more precarious position than he is and hopes that he's handling the pressure well._

_Casey's finger curls around the trigger, just waiting for Chuck to give him a go._

* * *

_The monitors in front of him look very similar to those at the Castle and if he does not look around, Chuck can pretend that he's back somewhere familiar and that Sarah is right next to him instead of being miles knows that he should not think of her not because it is a distraction but because he needs to be a different person right now and to do that, he has to pretend that Sarah means less to him than she really does._

"_Is the target in sight?" Alain Lefevre is standing by his side and directing the question to him in French. Chuck had taken Spanish all throughout high school, but it's the Intersect's influence that has allowed him not only an understanding of the French language but also perfect intonation. This skill set provides an opportunity for Chuck to pass as a French national who had moved to the United States when he was in his teens._

"_Yes, he says the target is in sight." Chuck does not respond in English although he is tempted to. He had worked out early on that it was enough to irritate Alain and could eventually jeopardize the mission. It's been three weeks since he and Casey had managed to finally make contact with Lefevre and everything currently rests on Casey going through with shooting Alex and hijacking the truck to prove their value to him._

_He knows that he should be glad that Sarah is safe at the hotel and not in the truck with Alex. Chuck had fought Beckman tooth and nail when she had insisted Sarah accompany them to New York as part of Chuck's cover as it lent credence to their overall story to Lefevre; a disgruntled ex French national computer technician with an American wife, in need of money._

"_Good, tell him to only take the shot after the parts have been loaded." Chuck nods at the words and relays them to Casey, all the while expertly switching between English and French. It's only when he hears Alain's next question does he freeze up._

"_How is your beautiful wife, Sarah? We should have a meal together, yes?" Alain had checked Charles' background extensively; even including further checks on his wife as well as his ex marine brother in law, John Casey. He soon found out about Sarah's medical condition and their huge mounting medical bills as well as John's issues with the government. After that, it had been relatively easy to arrange for a meeting as well as a job offer to the out of work computer technician and his brute of a brother in law. He had met Sarah once and had been quite entranced by her despite the fact that she did not speak French. It had been a relatively quick meeting at the airport and she had thanked him profusely, in her soft mid western drawl, for offering her husband a job and paying for their trip out._

"_Um, yeah….ok." Chuck does not realize he's speaking in English until he sees Alain's sneer. He quickly switches again to French but cannot hide his anxiety, which shows clearly on his face._

"_Is something wrong?" Alain had two main reasons for recruiting Charles, the first being his skills with computers and hacking as evidenced by his arrest record. The second and most important one was the fact that his wife was pregnant and her brother had been dishonourably discharged from the army. He knew then that if Charles or his brother in law ever got out of line, all he really had to do was to threaten Sarah._

"_No, sorry, she's been feeling unwell. The doctor says it's all part of the process but it just seems to take its toll on her." Chuck has never been a good actor, but he knows that any wrong move on his part would put Sarah and Casey in more danger and he cannot afford that. His anxious expression and words, though, are real and he really is worried about Sarah. She had loved being a spy and he knows that she's still adjusting to being on the sidelines and truth be told, he's certain she's as worried about him as much as he's worried about her._

"_Maybe a good meal and good company can change that. We will have dinner tomorrow." He does not phrase it as a question and smiles when he see Charles' nod, knowing that it will allow him more opportunity to get to know Sarah and any of her weaknesses._

_Chuck does not like this new development, although Sarah had already prepared him for it. He knows she will not put herself or the baby in danger and the only reason they had made it this far into Alain's organization was due to her presence. Beckman had been right in saying that a pregnant woman would lower Alain's defenses and cause him to accept both Chuck and Casey without resorting to his usual waiting period or use of a middleman. All they needed now was for Casey to carry out this assignment and prove their worth and then, he would be able to make excuses about Sarah's health to ensure that she would not have to meet Alain beyond the dinner tomorrow._

* * *

_Alex knows that Casey is somewhere about with his high powered rifle trained on her and that her only job currently is to wait for him to take the shot. When Beckman had first approached her with the offer, she had refused, not because she could not do the job, but because she knew that she could not replace Walker. She had tried once and did not want to have to repeat that experience. However, it had been the call from Walker that had finally changed her mind. She had told Alex of her situation and admitted that she would rather have someone she knew backing up her team than someone new. It wasn't a ringing endorsement by any means but Alex knew that it had cost Walker to admit that and, truth be told, she didn't mind working with Casey again._

_Right now though, she knows that she needs to ensure that her death looks convincing enough to whoever is watching and that the truck with the weapon parts get to their mark. She notes that the two men have finished loading her truck and waves as they finally drive away. Intellectually, she is fully aware that she will not be able to hear the shot but, regardless, she does sense it when Casey pulls the trigger. The impact drives her to the ground and she feels the blood packs soaking her chest. She feels her head hit the pavement and is not acting as she passes out from the impact._

_Casey breathes a sigh of relief as he sees his bullet find its correct mark. "Target is down. I will be back shortly with the shipment." He quickly gathers his gear and runs to the truck. Knowing Alain, Casey can sense that he is probably being watched and he does not give Forrest a second glance as he crosses over her prone form and enters the truck._

* * *

"_It's done." Chuck turns to Alain, "He says he will be here soon." He can see Alain smile at his words but it does not bring him any comfort as he knows that they have a long way to go before this assignment is over. The weapon parts being delivered by Casey were replacements for the parts that were supposed to be delivered by Tommy in Arizona. They still did not have any idea about Alain's targets or his military links._

"_Why don't you go home to your wife and I shall see you here tomorrow." The smile on Charles' face is genuine and it again highlights to him that he can control Charles Bartowski through his wife._

* * *

_Sarah is looking out the hotel room window. Her mind is centered solely on wondering where Chuck is and hoping that everything is going according to plan. She's so engrossed in these thoughts that she does not register her phone ringing at first. She looks at the caller ID and is not surprised to see that it's Ellie._

"_Hi, Ellie, I'm fine and I am taking the pre-natal vitamins and folic acid." Sarah can't help her smile as she speaks, relishing the fact that she finally has family who care for her._

"_Good. It must be freezing in New York though. I hope you're pacing yourself and Chuck's pampering you." Ellie is not used to lying to her sister in law but she is beginning to understand how easy it can be. She does hate the feeling though of knowing that both Chuck and Sarah are lying to her, not because they like to, but because they think it will protect her from any danger. The only flaw in that logic is the assumption that their enemies would recognize her ignorance and leave her alone. _

"_Yeah, Chuck's been great." The sincerity in Sarah's voice is unmistakable and Ellie can at least tell that she is not lying here._

"_Good, I just wanted to know that you're ok and so is my little brother. And if you need anything, anything at all, just know that Devon and I are here for you." She wants to say so much more; to tell Sarah to be careful and to ensure that Chuck does not put himself in danger because he thinks it is the right thing to do, but she knows she cannot say anything. When her dad had first told her of his other life, she had not believed him until he had told her that Chuck was also involved. She didn't want to believe it but her brother's behavior, along with Casey and Sarah's presence, could all be so easily explained by believing what her father was telling her. Even now, she does not really believe it completely, but she also cannot discount the possibility that all is not as it seems._

"_Sure, Ellie. Take care and give our love to Devon as well." Again, Ellie can tell that Sarah is sincere. She just hopes that when the time comes and they really do need help, she can be there for them._

**Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital, San Diego, 1.29pm, 8th December 2010**

"Sarah?" Ellie can see that she is awake and cradling her daughter and she feels like she's intruding. The only problem is that she needs to talk to Sarah and finally stop with the subterfuge in order to possibly save all their lives.

Sarah nods distractedly, her entire being still focused on her daughter. She still cannot believe that she and Chuck created something so perfect and beautiful even though she can see and feel her safe in her arms.

"We need to leave here soon." Ellie knows it's not the best chosen words and her tone is scared more than confident, but she really does not know how else to do this. She can tell Sarah has noted her tone and body language and is taken aback when she sees her put her finger to her lips as if warning her to stay quiet.

"I know you and Devon need to get back to your jobs." Sarah reaches for the pad of paper and pen by her bedside as she says the words. She truly is not surprised at Ellie's words or their underlying meaning, although she really expected to hear them from someone else. She writes the word 'When' and 'Casey?' and show them to Ellie who still looks afraid.

Ellie reaches out to touch Lisa's forehead and it's that contact that finally strengthens her resolve. "Pretty soon, you know how it is, though I know you do want to spend as much time with Lisa so maybe we can arrange for you to come with us to the airport. Casey probably won't approve but maybe he'll eventually understand." The only practice of subterfuge Ellie has had thus far was keeping her knowledge of Chuck and Sarah's real jobs secret, but her current message delivery is so spot on, she can see that even Sarah is impressed.

"I need to talk to the doctor. I won't be able to walk but we could probably request for the usage of an ambulance." Sarah does not want to burden Ellie more than they already have, but she understands that right now, she does not have much choice. Stephen had promised her that when the time came for him to act and help Chuck out, he would not do so himself but he would send someone in his stead, someone unexpected but known to her. Sarah had always assumed it would have been Bryce though. When he had miraculously appeared last year, she had begun to believe that he could really do anything.

Chuck had cradled her in his arms as she cried when they could not find Bryce's body. She had wanted to ensure that he had the hero's burial he deserved. Even so, Chuck still insisted on paying for his headstone and they had held their own private farewell. When Bryce showed up in New York last year, Chuck had been convinced he was a ghost and only when he had hugged her could she finally accept that he had not died in LA but had been resuscitated like he had been when Casey had shot him.

"You look tired and so does Lisa. Maybe the both of you should get some sleep." Ellie's voice is tinged with concern, not only for their current well being but because she knows that the she has already made up her mind to give up all that is familiar in order to save her brother and the two most important people in his life. "Everything is going to be ok." She bends down to kiss Lisa on her temple and squeezes Sarah's hand.

Sarah looks straight at her sister in law and nods because the words are not said as a platitude or because Ellie wants to lie to her. It is said in a tone that Sarah immediately recognizes from her dealings with Chuck and with Stephen Bartowski, and its meaning is clear. Ellie was making a promise that no matter what, she would do everything in her power to ensure that things would be okay.

**Unknown Location, 2.03pm, 8th December 2010**

Chuck's flash takes him by surprise such that he unceremoniously falls off the bed, hitting his head in the process. The numbers and three dimensional images are scrolling through his mind at such a fast pace that the entire experience takes less than fifteen seconds. He slowly blinks open his eyes and sits up only to wince as he feels the bump on his head. However, that feeling is quickly eclipsed by the new knowledge and skill that he has obtained via the flash. Not only information as to how to escape but also confirmation of the parties responsible and the profiency needed to break out. Everything is so clearly shown in his mind that it takes his breath away.

It's only then does he take stock of what had just occurred as well as realize that he had been lying on his bed when he had heard someone's voice piped into his room. Those words had then triggered his flash. For the life of him though, not only can he not recall the words, but he's also quite hazy on whether the voice had been male or female. in his heart, he wanted it so much to be Sarah's voice but he knows that even if it was, it would most probably be from a past recording. However, he's mostly sure that the trigger wasn't the voice but more the words uttered and that he had already been somewhat programmed to flash when he heard them.

The important thing was the fact that he had a way to get out of here and that he needed to do it now. At least the rest and food over the past few days had finally paid off as he quickly scrambles to pull the bed to the middle of the room. His movements are jerky and unsure at first but the minute he climbs onto the bed and pulls away the vent covering in the ceiling, he begins to get into the zone as he hoists himself through the hole into the ventilation system.

Chuck knows that he is being watched but also the fact that the complex he is being held in is fully wired, with no security personnel on the ground except for one person in the control room. It's a tight fit in the vent as he begins to crawl forward in the dark but the schematics in his head are so clear that he does not need light or a compass to know which way he needs to go.

He's really trying not to think about the reality that he finally has confirmation that Beckman is behind all of this and that no matter what he or Sarah had done in the past for the CIA and NSA, it had meant almost nothing. He feels a burning sensation in his stomach and the bile rise up in his throat as he realizes that he is being forced to make a choice between his family and his job and he knows that there really is no competition there. He hopes with all his heart that when he finally escapes from here, he will be able to see Sarah and Lisa. The problem though is the fact that he really does not know if Sarah is alive and part of him wishes that he won't ever have to find out, especially if it turned out that she wasn't. It is not something he would ever accept or want to live with but he fully understands that he is not alone and has a daughter to care for. All these thoughts race through his mind and coalesce into a singular understanding that he owes it to Sarah to escape and to face whatever he needs to.

The past year had not provided him with simple choices. At every step of the journey, he had been asked to make decisions based on his beliefs and sometimes at the expense of those he loved and cared for. He had not wavered though, had always been guided by his conscience and by having Sarah by his side. He could have stopped all this early on in March when his dad had given him the opportunity but he couldn't leave Casey or put the onus on Sarah to fulfill her promise to Beckman on her own.

When Lisa had been born, again, he had been faced with an almost impossible decision. Finally deciding to ask Ellie and Devon to be her primary caregivers was the most difficult decision that he and Sarah had ever faced. However, they did it together and supported each other through it. Overall, all he can think of are the sacrifices he had made and the fact that despite all of that, it still led to this point in time.

The epiphany that hits him is neither surprising nor earth shattering as he finally understands and accepts that he has always tried to do the right thing and that is not wrong. However, right now, the right thing to do is to go back to his family and protect them to the best of his ability.

Chuck finally sees the light at the end of the tunnel both figuratively and definitely literally as he finally notes that he has navigated through the maze of the ventilation system to arrive at the main control room. He peers through the vent and can see the lone figure in the room. He takes a deep breath before kicking out the ventilation cover to finally confront his captor.

* * *

The one thing Chuck could never understand about Bryce was his ability to view the world in shades of gray, to know that the smallest difference between being more right than wrong still mattered. It was the one and only thing that kept Bryce sane throughout his entire career. The one main reason Bryce had accepted his current assignment was the fact he knew it was the only way he could make a difference when it really mattered. That by helping incarcerate Chuck, eventually, he would also be able to help Chuck escape.

He had already triggered the silent alarm when he noted Chuck's disappearance into the ventilation system. However, likewise, he knows that the assumption made by Beckman and the NSA security detail, would be that Chuck would never be able to navigate through the convoluted maze of ducts in any decent amount of time. Adding to that, they were expecting him to escape through that means anyway and eventually break down his defenses when he finally tried to and failed. To Beckman, that was the ultimate plan. What she had never envisioned was the fact that Stephen Bartowski had already predicted such a scenario the minute he had known of his son's involvement in the intersect project. And that he had spent the past four years preparing for this eventuality. Not only recruiting Bryce but also ensuring Ellie, John Casey and Sarah all had their roles to play.

Bryce knows his role is still in play and he turns his wheelchair as he hears the air vent break open, in order to finally acknowledge Chuck.

**The End**

**So please feedback and at least tell me you're still interested in this story :) As for the poll, a short and simple one this time**

**1) Bryce flashback? Yes or No (DK vote counts five times:)**

**2) Bryce & Chuck Excellent Adventures for the next chapter? Yes or No**

**3) Sarah/Ellie/Devon as the Fugitives for the next chapter? Yes or No**


	7. Chuck vs The Return

**A/N – Welcome back and I do hope this story is still of interest to you. I do promise to finish it and write slightly faster. It's an incredibly busy time at work so writing really has taken a back seat but I do have this all plotted out and outlined and I should start writing faster after Christmas. Anyway, hope you like this chapter. ETA - I forgot to thank DLK for great betaing as always and for helping out despite being swamped as well.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Return**

_**Somewhere in Los Angeles, 3.33am, 28**__**th**__** April 2009**_

_All he can feel is pain emanating from every fibre of his being. The intensity of it is not enough to blot out his consciousness but just enough to indicate that he is alive. He's been in this situation before, the pain emanating from without and within. Except then, he had been in the clutches of Fulcrum and Tommy had done nothing to ease his pain, instead using it to their benefit._

"_Easy there, you need to just breathe and I'll eventually be able to give you something as soon as your vitals stabilize." The voice is instantly recognizable to him and Bryce does not need to open his eyes to see that its Stephen Bartowski who is with him._

"_Where am I? How?" His voice is weak and he does not fully articulate the words but somehow Stephen understands the questions and Bryce feels a hand reassuringly placed on his._

"_It's one of Fulcrum's mobile Medical Facilities. The medical staff is currently indisposed but we still don't have much time. Can you handle the pain? I'm going to have to move you into a car." Stephen had told his son that he was going to disappear and giving up his wrist computer to Charles was his final legacy. However, his instinct to wait and see the final outcome had proven correct when he saw Bryce's body being moved. With Bryce out of the picture, he was certain that they would eventually pull Charles back in and it was something that he wanted never to happen again._

_Following the Medical truck had been easy although waiting for the opportune time to act had been difficult for him especially when he still did not know what was going on with his son. Even now, he really wants to call Charles and check to see if he is ok but he understands that he has to trust Charles in knowing he will do everything he can to survive. However, Stephen understands how important Bryce is to the Intersect project and therefore his survival would be key to ensuring Charles freedom._

"_Yes." Bryce tries to nod his head but the pain is everywhere and he hopes that when he is moved, he will be unconscious. _

"_I can't give you anything for the pain." What he does not say is that the pain will eventually knock him out anyway and it proves true when he slowly lifts Bryce off the table. The guttural sound that Bryce gives off is mercifully cut short as he fades into unconsciousness._

* * *

_He does not know how much time has passed when he regains consciousness next but the sun is streaming through the gap in the curtains and the lumpy bed he is on denotes the generically cheap motel room he is familiar with. He finally catches a glimpse of Stephen Bartowski and is taken aback at how old and haggard he looks. "If you look…like that…I..really don't…want to..know ….how I look." It's a lot for him to get out but the pain has receded somewhat and he is able to enunciate each word although his voice is still barely above a whisper._

"_Did you tell him to do it?" The question is harsh and directed but Bryce does not fully understand it as he continues to stare at Stephen._

"_Did you tell Chuck to download the Intersect? The one I created for you?" The accusation is now plain and clear and so is the anger in his voice. He had done everything they had asked, and yet still could not protect his son. The anger burns through his veins, finally propelling him forward as he confronts Bryce, their faces inches apart._

_Bryce's last memory of Chuck is their stilted conversation in the Intersect room, where he had reluctantly told Chuck that Sarah was not leaving with him. The last thing he remembered was giving Chuck the means to destroy the Intersect before it fell into the Ring's hands. "I told..him..to destroy.. it." He puts as much force behind his words as he can, wanting Stephen to know that he did not want to make the same mistake twice in terms of Chuck's future and safety._

_It's Stephen who finally breaks his gaze as he looks towards the window, "He's downloaded it. I managed to obtain the visual feed from the Intersect room off the CIA server." He had seen Bryce's bloodied entrance followed subsequently by Charles's. No audio had been recorded and therefore all he could see was Bryce's last conversation with his son followed by Charles downloading the Intersect. "You said he would be safe, unharmed, if I did the upgrade." He scrubs his face with his hands, wondering if he'll always feel guilty and act just a tad too late as usual. "They're never going to let him go now."_

_Stephen does not need to define who he means because Bryce is in full agreement that Beckman and the CIA want an Intersect and although they would have a preference for an agent to assume that responsibility, Chuck was not an unacceptable choice. He's so caught up with these thoughts that it does not dawn on him that the pain he is feeling, had been feeling all along, was only confined to his upper body. "I…I can't feel my legs." He tries to keep the panic from his voice but knows he has not succeeded as he sees the pitying look come over Stephen's face._

"_The medical notes I took show that the bullet severed your spine at the lower lumbar region. You're going to need immediate medical treatment and months of therapy before…" He looks away again, somewhat distracted by the light as well as seemingly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation._

"_Before?" Bryce finally feels angry, not the hot anger that usually fuels his external arguments and fights but the coldness of futile anger directed within. He has never felt like a pawn until now and worse yet, he feels the betrayal from his body as well._

"_Before you go back to work for Beckman." It has taken him all night to work out a plan in his mind. Something that would save Charles and give Bryce purpose. Initially, he had been so surprised at the fast friendship forged between the two. However what he knew of his son and what he had learnt when he approached Bryce to help him years back, had shown that they had more in common than not. Their only difference was that Charles would always put others before himself while Bryce thought that he did but it was not always the case. Stephen knows that he has to have faith now that Bryce would finally put Charles before himself. _

_The faraway look in Bryce's eyes finally passes as he stares at Stephen and only after a minute, does he slowly nod his head in assent._

_**New York City, New York, 10.21 pm, January 4**__**th**__**2010**_

_Sarah can feel the meal sitting heavily in her stomach and attributes it to the unpleasant company of Lefevre. He had sidled up to her all evening, being as attentive as he could be in filling her glass with water or ordering on her behalf. She could tell that Chuck wanted more than anything to deck him a number of times, especially when Lefevre would touch her arm and once when he had caressed her cheek as he described how radiant she looked because of the baby._

_It had taken all of her willpower not to hit Lefevre herself and she had to hold onto Chuck's hand under the table, slowly caressing his inner palm with her thumb in order to ensure that he did not blow their cover out of anger at Lefevre's advances. "I'm feeling a bit tired." She directs the comment at Chuck and gives him one of her dazzling smiles, conveying all her unspoken love and understanding._

"_It's freezing out so I'll see if we can get a cab." Chuck does not want to leave Sarah alone with Lefevre despite the fact the he knows she can probably kill him with the discarded butter knife on the table, if he tried to do anything. He looks at her for a good half a minute, before he reluctantly gets up and goes to find a cab._

"_He loves you very much, no?" Alain has been waiting for this opportunity all night. All he really wants is to scare her a bit, to ensure that she understands that it's not only her husband who is under his aegis but her and the baby as well. And if Charles ever gets out of line, he would extract a price from her. He sees her small smile at his comment and is quite taken aback by her beauty, although he does hate her a little for not understanding French and making him speak English for her benefit._

"_Yes, he does and I love him." The southern accent is not difficult for her to master. Her dad had never really outgrew his and all she has to do is to remember the voices of her youth. She knows what is coming and is glad that Chuck is not there because she knows that if he hears the threats, she would not be able to stop him from reacting. She feels Lefevre's hand clamp down on her arm, the grip getting tighter such that its not too much of an act when she gasps in surprise._

"_Mr. Lefevre, you're hurting me." Sarah tries to tug her arm out of his grasp but it only makes him tighten his hold._

"_I need you to listen and understand me." He waits for her to nod, relishing the fear and unshed tears he sees in her clear blue eyes. "Your husband works for me. He is alive because of me." Again, he waits to see if she is listening and he can see the fear beginning to show on her face. "If he steps out of line or does not obey my orders, I will hurt you." He emphasizes the word hurt by pressing his thumb into the soft part of her inner elbow. The pain is not unbearable but she knows he has left a mark which would be visible as soon as she takes her jacket off._

"_You understand?" He smiles as he says this, releasing her hand just as the waiter passes by to deliver a meal to the next table over._

"_Yes" Sarah is not afraid of him. In fact, she had been in an even more precarious position last year in Benkhofer's hands. However, she also knows that she needs to play a part here to protect Chuck and their cover. If Lefevre wanted to see her scared, she would give him the satisfaction. The quiver in her voice is enough to widen his smile and her quick swipe at her wet eyes shows that she has understood his full message. She schools her features again when she sees Chuck approaching the table._

"_The cab is outside." Chuck can see the smirk on Alain's face but does not get anything from Sarah as he holds her chair out and helps her stand up. He turns to Alain and says his goodbye in French, remembering to add thanks for the dinner as well as a promise to turn up for work early despite the very good dinner and wine. The smile he gets in return is patronizing and again Chuck has to refrain from wanting to hit the man. As usual, Sarah can read him so well that her small hand immediately interlaces with his, calming him down._

_The ride back to the hotel is in comfortable silence, one arm draped around her shoulder while the other is gently interlaced with hers over her baby bump. He can tell that something has occurred at the restaurant in his absence and that she is deciding whether to tell him or not. He has learnt not to push though because she can take care of herself and has taken care of him most times. So he gives her the space she needs as they return to their room and she begins to undress._

_The changes in Chuck over the past few years have been myriad but the one thing that has never really changed is his trust in her. She can tell that he is giving her space and appreciates his understanding. Lefevre's warning was feeble at best and if she were the agent she had been before, the encounter would have been relegated to the back of her mind relatively quickly. However, she is no longer an active agent while Chuck is and because of it, he would need to know everything about this mission in order to understand the full dynamics at play._

_Sarah sighs as she removes her coat, letting it fall to the floor as she turns to face her husband. He's sitting on the edge of their bed, reaching down to take off his dress shoes. "Lefevre threatened me tonight." Her tone is even and it's as if she's talking about the weather. However Chuck's head immediately shoots up to look at her as he drops his shoe on the floor. His eyes roam downwards to her arm as the pieces come together and he sees the darkening bruises at the crook of her elbow. His fingers curl into fists as fear for her and their baby threatens to overwhelm him._

"_Don't." She strides towards him, pulling him into her embrace. "This just proves that we are on the right track. This is the mission and you need to understand that all of this is just a part of it that we need to get through." She had never wanted him to feel ineffectual and knows that he will have to face worse as a full fledged agent. In fact, she's quite sure that despite assurances from Beckman on easing Chuck into his role, they would eventually force him into committing an act that would violate his sense of justice. _

"_It looks worse than it feels." She tries to smile for his benefit but can see that he does not believe it._

"_Not to me." His voice is quiet as he reaches out to gently touch her arm, hoping that the warmth of his fingers are felt by her._

"_Lefevre is doing exactly what we expect and if I ever thought that the baby was even in any remote danger, I would have used the butter knife." She looks down to finally see a small smile grace his face and is somewhat relieved. Although she can tell that he is still very much afraid for her, she needs him to be more focused on himself and their mission to ensure his safety. "You needed to know this but you can't ever let on. He needs to think that he has access to me and we can't afford to let on that it's all a ploy." She feels him tense at her words and knows he wants to argue._

_There is an easy way out for her, a distraction that she knows will work as she bends down to kiss him. However, Sarah does not use it because she respects Chuck as much as she loves him, so she pulls back gently, "You can do this because you know that we have a goal to achieve. Beckman needs this mission to be a success and we do to." She can see that he's the one now waging an internal war brought upon by her words fighting with his fear for their safety. She has enough faith in him to know he will make the right decision but she does not have full faith in Beckman and realizes that she needs to have another talk with the General to ensure that she and Chuck get their chance to be a family._

**Mekoryuk, Alaska, 2.31pm, 8th December 2010**

Bryce estimates that they have about half an hour more to get to the docks and commandeer a boat before anyone else reaches the bunker. It would have been a relatively easy jaunt for him if he were the Bryce of old. However, with Chuck not really being in the correct frame of mind and his now crippled state, it would be cutting it quite close.

He expects Chuck's look of surprise and anger but what he does not expect is the speed in which he crosses the distance between them and hauls him out of his chair.

"Is she alive?" Bryce knows exactly who he is referring to and also realizes that he needs to be honest here. He can feel Chuck's hands tighten and can hardly get his words out.

"She underwent surgery a few days ago. It was touch and go for a while but she made it through. I haven't had any word since." He slowly places his hands on Chuck's, not using any force because he understands that any anger directed at him is justified. "We need to get out of here and I'm going to need your help. We need to get you home." Bryce can see the understanding dawn in Chuck's eyes as he finally lets him go and he falls back into his wheelchair.

The only words that have any meaning to Chuck are the ones Bryce had uttered in relation to Sarah. She had made it through surgery and if he knows anything about his wife, it's the fact that she was stronger than he was and he had to have faith. "I can't go home." There is such palpable regret in his voice that he can barely get all the words out. Chuck knows he has to escape from wherever this was but that he cannot go back to Ellie and Lisa.

"I know, buddy. I know." Bryce's reply is so old school that it almost transports Chuck back to a simpler time when his greatest worry was passing his midterms. Although even then, it became complicated relatively fast with his expulsion. "Your dad has been planning this for a long time. We're meeting at a specific place and hopefully Sarah and Lisa will be there. Chuck, we really need to go now."

His whole world has been spun out of its normal axis but the one constant has been his connection to Sarah and even now, he knows its there. He does not trust Bryce but he also understands that he does need to get out of this facility. The fact that his father seemed to have been in contact with Bryce does not surprise him but it still does not change the fact that he has to depend on his own wits and skills. Bryce is just not the person he was before he sent him the Intersect in the first place. "Where are we?"

"Mekoryuk." The second he hears the name, Chuck flashes again. In forty six seconds, he has gained information on the geography of the island and more importantly, the location of and skills to fly a twin engine prop plane. Just knowing the fact that Sarah was most probably alive is enough to give him not only the ability to flash again but also the impetus.

"The docks are about two miles from here and we can take the snow mobile out back. We just need to find a way to take my chair with us." Bryce is looking at the screens in front of him and can already see messages from Beckman and the NSA Security detail asking for a response. "I know you don't trust me but I'm all you have right now."

Again, he is surprised at Chuck's sudden change in demeanor as he stares down at Bryce, his hands in fists at his side, "We're not going to the docks but we are getting off this island. All I want from you is the location where my family is going to be."

"We have to be in Fairbanks. There is a locker at the main bus terminal; it has sat phones and the meeting place. The number and access is controlled by my fingerprint. I have to be there." He can see Chuck's aversion to him and does not blame him. However, he has made a promise to Stephen to make up for involving Chuck all those years ago and he needs to keep that promise. Bryce wheels himself towards the exit, "You can argue with me when we're in Fairbanks but if we don't get out of here now, you'll miss your chance."

Again, Chuck is going mostly by instinct and partly by training as he runs after Bryce and they exit the compound. The cold and wind hits him like a fist and he has to literally hold on to Bryce's chair to anchor himself. It's only when Bryce pushes forward on the wheels do they manage to move. There is a truck ten yards out and it takes them a good eight minutes to get into it.

Chuck had not listened when Bryce had pointed out that the truck was geared for hand controls. It did not look too difficult to drive and Chuck managed to at least get it into gear and onto the road without stalling. He had a pretty good idea where he needed to go but as usual, things didn't always go according to plan. It was obvious that the two black sedans that turned off the road are not there for the fishing and Chuck curses aloud when he see them turn around and start their pursuit. The gunfire he hears only adds credence to the fact that he needs to make another tough decision.

"We need to lose them." Chuck knows exactly what he is asking Bryce to do and finally realizes that decisions like these was what Sarah wanted to shield him from. "Try not to..." He does not want any deaths on his hands and he can see Bryce looking at him and nodding.

"Hold the car as steady as you can, I just need two shots." It's not difficult to pull himself slightly out of the window and take aim. Bryce knows that their orders are to apprehend dead or alive and the strafe of bullets that hit their car and shatter the back windshield will only increase. He does not think as takes aim, ignoring Chuck's harsh breathing and the jolts and bumps due to the icy road. The first shot hits the right front tire of the car in the front and it veers off the road, the driver trying valiantly to prevent it from rolling over. Bryce smirks with satisfaction as the car finally turns turtle.

"Shit." He feels the bullet lodge in the fleshy part of his upper arm but luckily does not drop the gun. He fires off tree shots in succession, hitting the engine and tires of the second car sending it careening to the side. The adrenaline coupled with the blood is enough to make him forget that he's not whole like before and he nearly let's go of the side of the car, only to remember that his legs cannot anchor him. It's Chuck who leans across and finally pulls him back in.

"Are you ok?" Chuck can see the airstrip ahead and hopes that the weather is not too cold for the plane to take off. "We're going to fly out of here and I need to know if you're going to need medical attention anytime soon."

"You just need to bandage it and I'll be fine. We need to get to that locker soon. Beckman's going to send more people and it's the only way I know to contact Orion right now." Chuck does not know why that one word stops him cold but it does. His hands are gripped around the steering wheel so tightly that his blunt nails are digging into his flesh. All the memories from the refinery, Sarah's blood, the sound of the monitor flat lining are mixed together with the fear of never seeing her again brought about by his captivity the past week. He knows he has to do something but he's paralyzed as much as Bryce is currently.

Bryce had expected him to fall apart at the base because that was what he would have done if he were in Chuck's place but Chuck was always stronger than him. It had taken him a long time to admit it to himself. Even when Sarah had chosen to stay with Chuck at Ellie's wedding, he had attributed her decision to wanting to look after Chuck instead of admitting that the stronger man won.

"Sarah chose you." There is a slight frisson of anger in his words although they are also tempered with resignation. Bryce does not want to have this conversation with Chuck now, in the middle of nowhere with the possibility of a NSA hit squad finding them at any minute. However, he knows that there may never be another time if Chuck does not snap out of his panicked state. "She loves you and believes in you because you're that guy." He sees Chuck's face turn towards him, "You're the hero she knows you are. Not because you had to be or wanted to be. She's waiting for you."

"You love her?" It's a question he had always wanted to ask Bryce, not because he did not know the answer but because he wanted to be sure first. He sees Bryce swallow and look away before nodding. "There's a twin prop plane under that tarp and we're going to fly to Fairbanks. We're going to get to the information and I'm going back to my family, to my wife" Chuck knows that Sarah will be waiting for him and he needs to do what he must. "If anything happens…" He sees Bryce shake his head but he continues, knowing that he needs to start being prepared for anything. "If anything happens, you need to ensure Sarah and Lisa are fine."

Chuck does not wait for an answer as he exits the truck and grabs the wheelchair from the back. Sarah is waiting somewhere for him and that's all he really needs to know.

**The End**

**Hi, all, no poll questions this time out. I would appreciate though if you review and tell me if you enjoyed/are enjoying this series. Regards jo**


	8. Chuck vs The Betrayal

**A/N – I am so sorry to all of you who are still reading and had to wait so long. I am really committed to finishing this and will post more regularly going forward. Anyway, there are four more chapters after this and we are done so please bear with me and enjoy Ch 8. Thanks to DLK for beta'ing as always.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Betrayal**

_**New York City, New York, 10.21 pm, February 10th 2010**_

"_It's fine. We'll have breakfast together and then you can go back to your job. It's okay." Sarah can see that Lefevre's dictum of working on the upcoming Sunday was getting to Chuck. Knowing him, he had probably planned something romantic for the both of them. Truth be told, her plans entailed making breakfast for him and then spending all day in bed with him. She never use to keep track of holidays or special occasions because her work had taken precedence over everything. With Chuck though, she's remembered so many of their firsts that it's becoming sort of a totem for her, these anniversary dates._

"_I could just blow Lefevre off, tell him that I'm busy and that it's Valentine's day." He does not need a special day to show her how much he loves her. However, he's also cognizant that he has a dangerous job. Not as dangerous as Casey's but still, he wants to live each day knowing that he's managed to show Sarah just how much she means to him._

"_And how are you going to convince him?" She hears a knock on their door and wonders why Casey would come over at this time._

_Chuck waggles his eyebrows, "I'm told my eyebrow dance is very persuasive." He grabs for her as she walks past but she laughs as she avoids his hands and goes to open the door._

* * *

_Bryce wheels himself out of the elevator and deftly turns left, knowing that their room was the last one on the right. He really has no idea what to say to the both of them and wonders if he should show himself at all. General Beckman had been quite clear in her opinion and had nearly barred him from making the trip. However, in view of his inclusion into the Intersect project and the fact that Alex was going to report to him, it made it a necessity to reveal himself to both Chuck and Sarah._

_He stops outside their door, his hand raised to knock but he cannot bring himself to follow through. He's torn between anger and shame and is unsure which emotion will surface when the door opens. Shame because he's no longer the man he once was and anger at the fact that he still cannot escape his duty. His fist pounds on the door and he hears Sarah's laughter as it swings open to reveal her._

_She has not changed one iota and he wonders about how radiant she looks until he stops at her belly. The small bump would have staggered him if he could still walk. Beckman had told him nothing except for the fact that Sarah and Chuck were married. He had asked if it were a sanctioned marriage for convenience. He had hoped that it would be despite knowing deep down that Sarah had fallen for Chuck, and unlike their relationship, she had been able to commit to him._

_Sarah's hand involuntarily covers her mouth as she gasps in surprise. She had thought that she had used up all her tears at his funeral. Mourning the fact that he should not have died so unnecessarily and also the fact that no one would ever know how brave he had been and the service he had rendered for his country. She can feel the tears roll down her cheek and Chuck's almost immediate reaction as he strides to where she is, his arm puling her into a semi embrace._

"_What's…" The sentence dying on his lips as she looks down to see Bryce, in a wheelchair, at their door. "No.." again, his voice tapers off as he tries to assimilate the current situation. He and Sarah had been the only two people at Bryce's funeral. Casey had stood about fifty yards away and had only stayed for ten minutes. However, the both of them had stayed for the entire service, Chuck's arms holding onto Sarah. They had not found a body and the assumption was that the Ring had disposed of it. He had cheated death once and Chuck knew it was too much to expect that he could do it again and both he and Sarah resigned themselves to saying goodbye in their own way._

_In the back of his mind, Chuck has always thought that if circumstances were different and Bryce were alive, he would always be forever linked to Sarah due to their shared past. He had accepted that and even with his death, Chuck had seen the impact it had on Sarah and does not ever want to see her hurt like that. He reaches out to grasp Bryce's arm, wanting the physical touch to confirm that his eyes are not deceiving him. Intuitively, he understands that Bryce is not a ghost but realizes that alive or dead, he would always be a specter hanging over them._

_Sarah does not say anything as she turns to look at her husband. Despite everything that has happened between them, she can tell that Chuck will still compare himself to Bryce. She knows there are no words she can say, so instead, she takes his hand in hers. As Chuck looks up at her, she smiles. No words are exchanged but she knows her message has gotten through as she sees him smile back, his brown eyes full of understanding._

_**New York City, New York, 10.21 pm, February 14th 2010**_

_Chuck can't believe how cold it still is and misses the mild California weather although cuddling up to Sarah was always a highlight for him every time he went home. To be honest, their hotel room was considered home only because Sarah was there. He hates New York and hates this assignment more but understands that its all part of his job now and he's lucky that he's managed to keep Sarah away from Lefevre since their dinner two months ago. He knows he cannot keep giving excuses but at least they are relatively based in truth and even Beckman had finally agreed that it was probably a good idea to not have Sarah interact too much with Lefevre._

"_Charles, where is your brother-in-law?" The question breaks Chuck out of his reverie and his answer is almost instantaneous, which he regrets but cannot take back. "He said he had something personal to do. "He knows immediately that it's the wrong answer to give because it's the truth and tries to salvage the situation somewhat. "He likes to be alone before a big mission, get himself into the zone." He glances sideways at Lefevre and can see him nod at Chuck's explanation. His feeling of relief though is short lived when Levefre turns to face him and he can see that Lefevere knows he is lying. He tries not to blink and just shrugs as he turns back to face the computer screen. He does not say anything else as Lefevre exits the room, instead he continues to type on his keyboard, this time, sending off a message to Alex._

_He can hear Levefre speaking to someone, snatches of a conversation, and starts to panic as he translates the instructions into a message to Alex, hoping that she can get to Casey in time._

* * *

_If she were being honest with herself, Alex Forrest would admit that this assignment wasn't half bad. She got to play with various weapons and running surveillance on Casey and Bartowski wasn't in the least bit boring. That made up the good parts of the assignment. However, the bad part was reporting out. When she was first brought onto this assignment, her assumption was that she would report directly into General Beckman like before. However, a month later, she finds out that Bryce Larkin had once again cheated death and had weaseled his way back into the current incarnation of the Intersect project._

"_Chuck sent a message saying that he thinks Lefevre will send someone to surveil Casey. Can you contact him?" she talks into the head mic as she reads Chuck's message, picturing the smirk on Bryce's face._

"_He said he was going off the grid for the day." Bryce looks over at Sarah as he answers, trying to gauge if she knows anything and sees that she's a bit conflicted. "Listen, Forrest. Hang tight. We may be able to get a fix on Casey." He hangs up before she can say anything and looks over at Sarah as he can see that she does know something. "Sugar bear. Tell Chuck that." She knows that Casey deserves his privacy and does not want Bryce or Alex to know the true cause of his absence. Ilsa was only in town for a twenty-four hour window and she hopes Chuck can at least stall Lefevre._

_Bryce wants to demand a full answer but he recognizes the look Sarah is giving him and holds his tongue, instead taking out some of his frustration on Alex as she answers his call. "About time. Tell Chuck, Sugar bear." He knows exactly what her response to that would be and despite feeling like a jerk already, he still responds to her unfairly, "Agent Forrest, you report to me and therefore will not be privy to all my information, am I clear?" He's actually surprised at her professionalism, as she does not respond except for a 'yes sir', before she hangs up._

_Alex quickly sends the message to Chuck knowing that Casey's life may depend on it. She pushes Bryce's words to the back of her mind, not wanting to deal with his ego but deep down, understanding that he is overcompensating because of his new disability._

* * *

"_Don't freak out" The words run through his head like a mantra as he hears the Lefevre move about the room, seemingly at random. He hears Lefevre's phone go off and feels the panic begin to build up as he translates each of Lefevre's instructions. It's only when he hears the kill order, does he finally react._

_In hindsight, he would come to realize that the reason he made the choice was because he was thinking of Sarah and the baby. However, he does not acknowledge anything as he turns to face Alain. "I will do it." He knows that his words will come as a surprise and does not blink as he notes Lefevre's stunned expression. "You made it very clear to me that should I betray you, my family will not be spared. I love my wife and if you think her brother has betrayed you, I will kill him to ensure that you harbor no similar suspicions about her." Even to his ears, his voice sounds weak and uncertain but his stare does not waver._

"_You would kill your own brother in law?" Its not only the tone but also Levefvre's small smile that causes Chuck to shudder. However, he nods and answers the question as honestly as he can, knowing that it will help in convincing Alain. "I love Sarah and I may not be the smartest guy around but your recent phone call has shown that you have reason to be suspicious of John and since we have familial ties to him. It may not be long before you have suspicions on me and my family. Killing him may be the only thing that will convince you that we are loyal to you and you will not harm me or my wife."_

"_Very well. Your brother in law is at the Hotel Plaza Athenee. A good choice for an assignation but a bad choice of companion. The woman he is with is an agent with the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure."He has always been a cautious man and even now is quite sure that Bartowski is somewhat mired in all of this. Having him kill his own brother-in-law would not only be poetic justice in his mind but would also give him just enough proof that Bartowski and his wife were still loyal to him. "Meet Dimitri at the lobby and he will bear witness for me."_

_Chuck sends one last message to Alex. "Casey needs to remain dead." He knows Sarah will understand his choice. He just hopes Casey will survive it._

* * *

_He can feel the sweat soak through his shirt and wonders what Bryce would do in his stead. It's an easy comparison to make considering Bryce is again back from the dead and spending Valentine's day with Sarah. Chuck knows that he is not being fair but he can't help but dread the choice before him and wishes that he could think of another way out of this that would not involve actually shooting Casey. He's at least glad for the tranq gun he has in his holster and hopes it's enough to fool Dimitri._

_He sees Dimitri standing in the foyer and almost reconsiders his plan but luck is not on his side as the hulk of a man spots him and waves him over. "They are in room this." The gun is thrust in his hand and the flash is just as instantaneous. Not only knowledge of how to handle the weapon but more importantly, precision shooting and full understanding of the human anatomy._

_The flash is quick and it leaves him almost breathless as he quickly puts the gun in his pocket while furtively hoping no one has noted their strange behavior. He knows Dimitri is looking at him askance and that he has to act decisively. "My orders are to kill John Casey only. I will knock on their door and shout for him. When he opens it, I will shoot him twice. Here and here," Chuck points to his neck and heart. It's a huge gamble on his side but the blood and position of the shots are the only thing that would convince Dimitri that he's done his job. He is at least sure that the downloaded Intersect skill makes him as good as he can get._

_The ride up the elevator is uneventful and shorter in duration than he would like. When the door opens, he does not move until he hears Dimitri grunt and is somewhat comforted by the knowledge that he can distinguish that grunt's meaning through his past interactions with Casey. More so that he will have to shoot the big guy but in doing it, he will be saving his life and also that of Ilsa._

_He sees Dimitri take his position diagonally such that he not only has a good view of the room door but also the ability to take the shot should Chuck fail, as he holds his gun in his hand. Chuck knows that he can do this. That the information he needs is within him. The only thing holding him back is the fact that he has never shot a real gun at anyone much less someone whom he considers a friend despite Casey's vehement protestations._

_His back is now slicked with sweat and the gun in his hand feels heavy. He takes a breath before finally knocking on the door as he calls out Casey's name. He knows that whatever Casey is doing will be put on hold because to Casey, duty would always come first. Chuck just hopes that he will understand why shooting him would be the only way to save his life. He hears footsteps and Casey's belligerent voice as the door swings open._

_All Chuck sees is Casey's angry face turning to surprise and shock as the gun he is holding comes into view. The sound from the two shots reverberate so loudly that Ilsa's scream is drowned out. The blood pouring from Casey's neck and chest is enough proof to Dimitri as Chuck feels himself being yanked backwards and dragged to the stairwell. He finally hears Ilsa's ragged voice screaming and hears shots fired from a gun._

**I380, San Diego, 4.42pm, 9th December 2010**

Sarah jolts awake, pretty sure that she's heard shots fired only to realize that she's in the back of an ambulance with Ellie and the sound was an old truck backfiring on the busy interstate. She can still see residual fear in Ellie's eyes as she holds tightly onto Lisa and wonders if they will really go through with the plan. She can see the back of Devon's head as he talks to the driver. His voice still has the easygoing west coast cadence to it but the tenseness of his shoulder and the way he pauses just a little bit longer after each response indicates that he is just one step away from panicking.

She can hear the airplanes and knows that they need to put their plan in motion and go off-grid. She moans and starts to thrash about. Ellie's reaction is almost instantaneous as she calls out to the driver. "Corporal Callahan, you better pull over. Devon and I need to examine Agent Walker. She seems to be having a reaction of some kind."

"I'm sorry ma'am. Colonel Casey said I was to only stop at the airport to let you off."

Devon's always been good at compartmentalizing due to being a surgeon. Pushing fatigue to the back of his mind when he's stuck in an operating theatre for eight hours straight or more recently, understanding that his wife had lied to him about her father and was now expecting him to help abscond with a CIA agent because of a promise she had made. He knows it's close to double standard thinking on his part as he had known about Sarah and Chuck. However, it's the fact that Ellie had made up her mind and only told him yesterday about her plan. Worse yet, she had offered him an out, telling him that she loved him with all her heart but it was his choice to come with. He loves Ellie beyond all measure and he hopes that she sees that because he cannot comprehend a world without her. Giving up his job and his life in LA is an easy decision to make compared with losing Ellie. "Tom, I know you have to follow your orders but I also have to follow mine and right now, I need to examine my patient." He uses just the right tone of authoritative doctor with a hint of underlying understanding that he's asking someone to ignore a direct order in lieu of something more important.

He breathes a sigh of relief as he sees Tom waver and slowly begin to filter to a slip at the side of the road. It's then that he unbuckles his seatbelt and moves to the back. Sarah has a light sheen of sweaty on her brow and he knows that she probably only partly acting. Her injuries had been life threatening and although the surgeries were a success, she was still in danger from any number of complications post surgery. Going on the run would be the worse thing to do but as much as he loves Ellie, he knows Chuck loves Sarah as much.

He checks Sarah's blood pressure and is so focused on ensuring that she really is okay that he does not notice Ellie moving forward to talk. He pushes their low voices to the back of his mind and only looks up when he hears a groan and a thud. "Babe!" All his feelings of panic and uncertainty come forward as his voice rises and breaks as he calls out to his wife.

"It's just a mild sedative." Ellie knows that the look on Devon's face mirrors her own and it scares her enough to turn away and look at Tom slumped in his seat as she finally drops the syringe in her hand.

"Put him in the back with me….and then drive…drive to the Medical Centre, we need…to dump the ambulance there and…find another car." It takes quite a bit out of her to speak but Sarah knows that Ellie and Devon are risking so much for her and Lisa that she cannot sit by and do nothing. She does not like the fact that Ellie had not spoken directly to Devon since yesterday's tense discussion where she had witnessed his transformation from awesome loving doctor husband to confused, bewildered potential fugitive. All the while knowing that Chuck and her decision to continue working had eventually led to them ruining Ellie and Devon's lives.

The drive to the hospital is done in silence, the occasional sound only coming from Lisa as she plays with Sarah's hair. Devon drives the ambulance into the bay and cuts off the engine. "Now what?" He finally addresses his question to Ellie but it's Sarah who answers again.

"We need another…car." She looks down at Lisa, wondering if her daughter will remember this and hoping that she won't. Sarah holds onto the bed rail and pulls herself up as Ellie quickly rushes forward to support her.

"Sarah, you can't walk yet. I'll….I'll do it. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." Her voice does not project any confidence but the set of her shoulders and her clenched jaw does indicate the hidden source of Bartowski spunk.

"Very old model…SUV…probably from an intern…won't miss it for sometime. Keys usually under…the front tire otherwise…break the window. I'll hot wire it." It takes a lot out of her to get all the words out and she really wonders if she'll be able to actually see the wires and do the job but she can't show any of it because both Devon and Ellie have already done too much.

"I can do that." He's never told Ellie this but when he was fourteen and at his most rebellious, he had spent the summer hanging out with a boy who taught him how to boost cars. It happened only once and he had felt so guilty that he drove the car back and turned himself over to the owner and spent the rest of the summer doing odd jobs to make up for it.

He does not miss the look of surprise and shock on Ellie's face and does not like the fact that it makes him feel better that she feels a bit like what he has been feeling regarding her secret. "You okay?" He takes her pulse as he asks the question and only when he sees her nod, does he go out the back with Ellie.

* * *

Casey's habit of rubbing his scar at his neck each time he thinks of Chuck or Sarah is such a tell that he knows it will eventually get him into trouble. "I just have a few more questions and then we'll be out of here. Have any of your staff reported anything else besides the abandoned ambulance?" The hospital administrator is trying her best to be helpful although being pulled out of a fancy dinner to stand in the ambulance bay is fast testing her patience.

"Look, Colonel, I've already gone over everything with your people and have given you free reign of the hospital despite knowing absolutely nothing about why you're here." She runs her hand through her hair as she focuses on his scar. Her voice loses some of its frustration as she takes in his fatigued posture, "That looks relatively recent. Clean shot though." His body language is so defensive that she immediately regrets her words when she sees him cross his arms and the tightening of his jaw.

"The shot saved my life." Four years ago, he had been so used to being tired and working under time pressure, his mission taking precedence over all else. Beckman's orders had been specific. Find Walker and bring her in at all costs, like they needed her for something. He does not want to question his orders and he knows he does not have a choice but to bring her in, if he does find her.

"One of the interns, Dr Patil. He says his car may have been stolen." It's the only piece of information that she hasn't shared with them and she still thinks it's not relevant but she tells him anyway, in hope that they'll finally leave.

"May have been? Has he given this information to one of my people."

"Dr Patil sometimes drinks a bit too much and forgets where he parks his car. I don't think it's something he wants to publicize." She waits for him to demand a meeting with the doctor.

"In that case, I think we are done here. If Dr Patil's car is really stolen, just give me a call. We will need to take the ambulance and I'm sorry for the inconvenience." He resist the urge to ask any more questions as he hands over his card, knowing that he will have to report back to Beckman with everything he has found. If she were at a hundred percent, he would have had trouble finding her. However stuck with two very smart but very green civilians and a baby made this too easy.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading and (probably) re-reading the older chapters to jog your memory (don't worry, I did the same and so did DLK). :) Next Chapter is halfway done. Wish me luck in finishing it more quickly.**


	9. Chuck vs The Deal

**A/N - 3 chapters to go after this. Hope you are all caught up now and that you're still enjoying the story. Thanks to DLK and to supesfan18 forthe encouragement.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Deal**

_**Brooklyn, New York, 7.02 am, June 10th 2009**_

_Sarah can hear Casey and Bryce's low tones as they discuss the mission and even though she desperately wants to join them, she does not want the baby to hear talk about guns and espionage. She knows she's being overly protective and probably being ruled by her hormones. However, this is the only thing she can control now as the others parts of her life careen out of control._

_Her husband is stuck undercover with a madman, his life put on the line every day. She is still lying to their family and her father does not even know she's pregnant and all she has right now is the knowledge that once this mission is over, she and Chuck will leave all this behind regardless of whether its sanctioned or not. She knows the government will not let Chuck go but she has a plan. Something she has been workin on since he downloaded the damned thing. Not always actively but always there in the back of her mind, knowing that she needs to look out for her family and ensure that they get a chance to become one._

_The first twinge of pain takes her by surprise, not because of the feeling but because she had always expected Chuck to be here when it started. She does not call out because the one person she wants to tell is on another mission, his life on the line because he's honorable and loving and too good for all of this._

_Sarah closes her eyes and breathes in, picturing Chuck in her head, smiling that lopsided grin, his brown eyes shining with love. The contraction she feels passes through her, the pain reminding her of what's to come even as her mind wanders to Chuck's current situation._

* * *

_He has to control his breathing knowing that the air in his tank will run out sooner than he would like and that he still needs to complete this mission. He can hear Lefevre's instructions in his left ear and has to tell himself that in this situation, the one man he hates most in the world is the one who can save his life._

_"There are sensors embedded on the floor and along the walls. They measure pressure and air levels. You cannot take a breath except from your tank. The safe is hidden in the desk in the corner. Get the device and bring it to me. Remember, if you fail, I will take it out on your wife." Chuck's jaw tightens as he hears the threat. For once, he knows that it's an empty one as Sarah is no longer at their hotel. Beckman had finally acknowledged that as good an agent as she was, she could no longer be on site. Alex had taken her place, resembling her enough to fool the surveillance that Lefevre had placed on them._

_"I won't fail." His voice carries with it a weight that was never there previously. A promise not for Lefevre but one made to Sarah. A promise to love and honor her and to always be there for her and although he is not by her side, he understands that getting through this is what he needs to do in order to ensure that he can fulfill his word. Chuck closes his eyes to picture Sarah, knowing that it will allow him to flash on the skill he would need to do this job._

_The flash is almost instantaneous and he can feel his muscles protest as he jumps forward, twisting his body this way and that as he makes his way through the room, never touching the floor, instead using all the things in the room to navigate from the entrance towards his target._

_"Is everything okay, Bartowski?" Alex's voice comes through clearly in his right ear and he smiles as he pictures Alain and Alex dressed at the devil and angel, perched on each of his shoulders. He hangs upside down from a water pipe as he looks around the room, gauging his next move. "I have everything under control. Just check in on Sarah. Okay? Thanks." Again he pictures Alex but this time with the added eye-roll and put upon expression as she carries out his request. He knows he should concentrate on the mission but he just needs to know that Sarah's fine._

* * *

_"Now?" The incredulity in Bryce's voice is obvious and if Sarah wasn't experiencing another contraction, she would have stared him down until he looked away. Instead, her eyes are closed, shut tight, as she inhales through her nose and exhales through her mouth, all the while thinking of Chuck._

_"What's a matter, you have some place else to be?" She can hear Casey's snide voice and is glad that he's there._

_"Make yourself useful for once, Larkin and call the hospital." He kneels next to her chair but does not take her hand, instead waiting for her to look at him before he tells her about Alex's message. "He's asking about you." He sees her eyes go wide, darting around as if expecting to see Chuck._

_"He needs to finish the mission?" The inflection in her voice makes it more of a question than a statement and Casey can tell that for once, she wants to say the selfish thing even though he knows she won't articulate it out loud. "He has to finish the mission." This time, he can tell that she's made up her mind. He prepares to stand only to have her hand grab his arm. "Please Casey. I…" She's never asked for anything personal in all the time he has known her._

_Even when he was laid up in the hospital and being a complete ass to her, she never complained or asked him to stop. It had been Bryce who explained everything to him about Chuck saving his life and that of Ilsa's and how because of it, he would now be even more entrenched in Alain's organization, making him and Sarah bigger targets. Chuck had not only saved him but he had placed his life in more danger to do so. For that, Casey knows what he needs to do as he dials Alex's number._

_"Forrest, change of plans, I'm going to need Bartowski's co-ordinates." He looks at Sarah and nods and its only then does she let go of his arm and continues with her breathing exercises. Casey does not say anything to Bryce as he slips out the door._

_"Where is he going?" Bryce wheels himself over to Sarah. "Your doctor is on her way to the clinic. We need to get you to the car. Is Casey bringing it around?"_

_The serial questions asked are a dead giveaway to Sarah that Bryce is beyond his element currently. She smiles for the first time tonight, "I'm just having a baby, don't worry." She knows she should take her own advice but she cannot help but worry because Chuck is not by her side._

_"Pfft, I'm not worried." Bryce chuckles self consciously as he reaches out to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Did you ever think five years ago that you would be in labor with your first child and I would be here with you five years later?" He had fallen for her hard and never really recovered. Leaving her was the hardest thing he had ever done, and even then, he had always planned to come back. He just never expected her to move on._

_"No." Sarah shakes her head, "I always thought Chuck would be here." Her voice goes soft and she can see his face fall but she cannot help how she feels. "I asked Casey to check up on Chuck, just in case, even though it would be nice to have him here too." She closes her eyes again as she feels the onset of another contraction and misses Bryce's look of surprise._

_He knew circumstances had changed, that she had moved on but he would never have guessed how far or that she would not need him in her life if he had not insinuated himself back into it. "I never thought it would turn out this way."_

_Sarah hears the wishful tone in his voice and it takes her by surprise. He had always been sure of everything, controlling everything. She is still unsure of whether she should hate him for sending the Intersect to Chuck and thus choosing his path for him or whether she should be grateful that in doing so, he brought Chuck into her life. "What did you think would happen when you sent him the Intersect the first time?"_

_Bryce grimaces as he recalled running down the stairs frantically trying to decide who to send the Intersect information to. It wasn't totally by design to send it to Chuck as he had initially wanted to send it to Orion. It was only because he knew that Stephen Bartowski would not come out of hiding regardless, that he finally decided to use Chuck. He had not told Sarah anything and had counted on her sense of duty propelling her to try and make up for his perceived betrayal._

_He really had planned on coming back, expecting to pick up where they had left off knowing that she would eventually forgive him as he had done it all in name of honor and country. Only she had moved on further than he had expected, both professionally and personally. "Would you have waited?"_

_Sarah looks up at his question, trying to divine exactly what he is asking. She is still not used to seeing him in the wheelchair and it breaks her heart a little to see him struggle with that._

_"If I had told you more before I left, would you have waited?" It's the first honest question he has asked her in a long while, stripped of any of his bravado. He knows that he will not like her answer but accepts that in the end, he had initiated all of it._

_She breathes in through her nose and slowly exhales, taking the time to collect her thoughts, trying to formulate an honest answer. "If I had not met Chuck, I would have. But there he was and I never thought I could love someone as much, I never thought I had the capacity to." She does not have to tell him that she never loved that much as he can see it in her expression._

_He wonders if anyone would blame him if he left, never to return but he knows that he owes Chuck for saving the Intersect twice and for doing what he could not do, in making Sarah happy. "We need to get you to the car." He wants to tell her so many other things but knows that he has one more secret he cannot share, at least not yet. He hopes though he would never need to tell her, knowing now how she feels about Chuck._

_The ride to the private clinic goes off without a hitch and she refuses the epidural or any other medication, instead wanting to be as alert as possible in case Casey or Chuck called. He can see that the radio silence is worrying her but she's as stoic as ever, putting up with the physical labour pains as well as the uncertainty of Chuck's current mission._

* * *

_"How much air does he have left?" Casey does the calculation quickly in his head and he does not like the answer he comes up with and hopes Alex has a different view._

_"By my calculation, less than four minutes. Lefevre told him the information is in the safe in the desk but he can't find it." She can hear Chuck's harsh breaths and knows his air will run out quicker because of it. "Bartowski, you have to calm down." She looks at Casey, her eyebrows raise as she sees him arm himself. "You can't go in there."_

_"Watch me." He opens the door of the van but hesitates before alighting, knowing that he does not want to be like Bryce and that he owes Alex an explanation. "He saved my life and his wife asked me to ensure that he got back to her and the baby she's about to have. So, I am going in." He glances up as he sees her hand reach out to give him an ear piece._

_"I can talk you to the room, you can rappel down but the minute you take a breath, the alarms sound. If he can't find it by then, you will have to extract him. Security will arrive in less than a minute once the alarm is activated. I'll provide as much cover as I can and pick you up at the west end." Casey nods and runs towards the building, following Alex's instructions to the letter. Even at his speed, he only arrives at the entrance to the room three minutes later._

_"Casey, he's found it but he hasn't said anything else in the past half a minute." He can discern some worry in Alex's measured tone and is surprised that she would show any emotion but Bartowski had a way of getting to people. He knew first hand of that. Casey looks at his watch and sets the timer to one minute, takes a deep breath and breaks the door down, barreling into the room as he hears the klaxon sound of the alarm._

_He sees Chuck prone on the table in the corner, his hands loosely holding a small metal case and he rushes over, rips his mask off and slings him over his shoulder, as he pockets the case. He can hear indistinct shouts over the alarm and holds his gun out as he follows a different route of escape._

_He hears the report of gunfire and sees the bullets hit the walls and shatter the window but he does not alter his speed or his course, only pulling Chuck's body forward, ensuring that he does not get hit by any strays. It's only when he reaches the west end of the building does he decide to take the shortest route possible and jumps out the second storey window. He runs towards Alex's car ignoring the burning in his legs and only realizing he had taken a bullet when he hears Chuck's voice._

_"Casey you're shot."_

_"Wouldn't be the first time and at least he has your aim, Bartowski." The banter puts them back on even ground. He does not like to owe his life to Chuck but knows this makes up for it. The issue though is that Casey knows he has to still make up for Chuck saving Ilsa's life as well. He throws Chuck into the back of the van and starts shooting back as Alex drives away._

_"Thanks." Chuck still feels light headed and only then realizes that Casey should have been with Sarah tonight. "Where's Sarah, what's wrong?" he can hear the gun fire and sees Casey returning fire and It's only when Alex shouts clear does Casey finally look at him._

_"She's at the clinic and she's waiting for you."_

* * *

_"Hey Little Lisa Bryce Bartowski." Bryce likes the name not because it's his but more because it's a real link to a real family. He's never needed any validation to do his job but right now, holding her little hand in his, he finally understands that his job right now is the most important one that he needs to accomplish. Stephen Bartowski had been right all along in that Chuck and Sarah deserved to be free from all of the subterfuge and danger._

_"I promise that I'll do everything I can to ensure you grow up with both your parents there." He shakes her little hand like they've made a deal._

**Pentagon, 9.23pm, 9th December 2010**

Stephen knows he has to bide his time and that she will be alone in her office in another ten minutes or so. In the meantime, he looks at the only picture he has of his son and his family. Chuck's wearing black military fatigues and he's sitting by the side of the bed, only his face in profile as he looks down as Sarah and his newborn daughter.

Bryce, who had seen the picture, filled him in on the rest. How that was the night Chuck had nearly died stealing another piece of the bomb for Lefevre and how Casey had hauled him out just in time to save his life as well as just in time to be there for Lisa's birth.

Even though the picture is small, he swears that Lisa looks so much like Ellie as a baby that the resemblance is uncanny. He had taken the picture from Ellie's mantelpiece because he needed something physical to remind him why he needed to end this. His life did not matter any longer but Chuck's always did and so did Sarah's and they deserved to be happy. Deep down, he knows that they deserve the chance that he and Fay never got because of his own hubris.

He had thought that in running away, he could make it all disappear and everyone would be the better for it. He never expected his son to have to pay an even bigger price than he did or the fact that his entire family is on the run because of a mistake he made years ago. He's never been particularly brave and even now knows that it's not bravery that is propelling him here but the understanding that this is his only choice to once and for all correct all his past mistakes.

He finally hears voices in the corridor and sees the General walk passed the door, her focus not on her surroundings but on the call she is having. He waits until she enters her office before disabling all alarms and cameras on this floor. He enters the last codes into his wrist computer sending off the final messages before shutting it down. Only thn does he exit the stairwell and walks towards her office. He sees the screen of the wrist pad go dark and hopes that the other one has been activated. He is unsure of whether the both of them will leave this meeting alive and is counting on the fact that if he does not make it, he would make certain that Beckman doesn't either. He can still hear her side of the conversation and stops when he hears Sarah's name mentioned.

"Colonel Casey, is Agent Walker AWOL or not? I am not interested in what you think only what you have found out." She can feel the onset of a headache looming and knows that it's only going to get worse. Larkin and Bartowski were still missing and Agent Forrest was having even less luck than Casey, although the Colonel's current reticence is a worrying trend. "When do you think you will have her in custody?"

Again, she does not like the response but holds her tongue as she listens to his whole explanation. "Listen very carefully Colonel because I'm only going to say this once. Agent Walker's recapture is imperative and if you do not have a better update the next time you call, you will be removed and I will send someone else who may not have your current patience." She hangs up before he can respond and only then notices the visitor in her room.

"This is unexpected although you have to know that you won't be able to leave." Her voice is measured as she confronts Stephen Bartowski. She had met him early on in the Intersect project when he had original purview over it. He had been so idealistic then, talking about the greater good and how his invention would save lives. He never imagined the countless lives that would be lost in pursuit of it although she's sure that he knows that now.

"Doesn't matter either way as long as we come to an understanding." He sees her hand move towards her desk drawer. "You can shoot me now or you can wait until after I've given you a solution to your current problem."

He sees her measure his words as her hand opens the drawer but does not take out her gun. "It will be only a matter of time before we capture them all." Her voice is too confident for his liking.

"Not if they do everything right." He does not want to give anything away but it scares him a bit that she is so confident of their capture. "Diane, please let this go." He does not mind begging although he can see the futility of the approach when he sees her look of surprise and then pity.

"Your son is in possession of the single most important piece of Intelligence we have at this moment. He made the choice to download it and he agreed to work for us. Stephen, he was upgraded to Level 5, six months ago, when his daughter was born. We knew that his loyalties would always be too divided and measures had to be taken. It was his choice to download the Intersect." She has done this on numerous occasions; telling parents that their son or daughter had died in the course of doing their duty and serving their country. This is harder though because she knows that even though Chuck is not dead, his current actions and that of Agent Walker would make it impossible for them to live freely.

"So you're planning on putting all of them in a bunker?" He already can tell that he will not like her answer as she shakes her head.

"Your daughter and her husband will be charged for obstruction of justice. Agent Walker will be remanded into custody and a closed door trial will be held. As for your son, we still need the information from the Intersect." She sees him flinch at her words.

"And Lisa?" his voice falls to a whisper as he finally understands his next move.

"She will be taken into protective custody." Beckman finally takes her gun out of the drawer and places it on the table in front of her. "Give up Stephen and I will try my best to see that you have visiting rights to your granddaughter at least." She knows her personal view cannot sway the decision she has to make, that her job has always been to make the difficult decisions for the good of the many and ignoring the needs of the few.

Despite all of her past experiences, Beckman knows that this decision is not an easy one to take or to support but it's the only one that would guarantee that they will eventually triumph over all their adversaries. "He will be looked after if he co-operates."

"Take me." The words are spoken clearly but he can tell that she has dismissed them as she finally holds the gun up, pointing it in his direction. "You want an Intersect and you'll get one. I can build one for you."

"Like you did the last time? Sorry Stephen but we fell for it once. We don't need you, only Chuck." She picks up the phone, intending to end this confrontation, her headache already at full strength.

"You need the Intersect and I have one…in me." He sees the realization dawn in her eyes and the fight drain out of him as he finally owns up to his fate. "Take me. Leave my son and my family alone."

"Do you know what you are agreeing to?" Beckman cannot make the deal even if she wanted to but she can recognize an opportunity to at least salvage part of this godforsaken assignment. "You will have to remain in custody indefinitely. Even then, I cannot promise that Chuck and Sarah will be allowed to just walk away."

"You will try, though, to ensure that they get a chance to be a family?" Stephen has no other bargaining power but to plead and to place his trust in the hands of the very person responsible for his son's current dilemma. "He's given up so much. They both have. It's time we did something." He stares at her, hoping his message has gotten through but he does not see any sign except for the wave of her hand as four soldiers enter her room.

He does not move or blink but keeps her gaze, hoping for some sign. He feels the soldiers pull on his arms and he still does not struggle, wanting some form of confirmation that his sacrifice was worth something. Its only when he's dragged out of the room and the door closes does he finally fight back but it's already too late by then.

**Fairbanks, Alaska, 10.02pm, 9th December 2010**

Chuck sees Bryce wheel himself across the terminal bay as he keeps watch hoping that they don't run into any more agents. They had already wasted more than a day laying a false trail before coming here and he does not want to waste any more time. All he wants is to see Sarah for himself, to touch her and wake up from this whole nightmare experience.

Bryce opens the locker, not really knowing what to expect and is surprised to see it contain only a thick manila envelope. It's only when he looks up does he note one of Orion's wrist pads taped to the underside of the locker above. He reaches for it, trying to understand why it would be here and not liking the conclusion he comes up with. He looks across the room to where Chuck is standing and wonders how much more bad news he can handle before he gives up.

He closes the locker and wheels himself over, ignoring the constant pain in his arm. "There should be maps, air tickets and car keys in here. I think this is for you." He proffers the wrist pad to Chuck and waits for his reaction.

Chuck takes the computer and straps it on, only noticing the map on the screen when he looks down at it. "Have you seen this?" It's the first direct question he's asked Bryce since he flew them over. He sees Bryce shake his head.

"It's a map of California beaches." He knows of only one with great significance to his family. "I think I know where we need to be."

They are both so engrossed in their find that they don't see her but she has a good view of them. Alex knows she has to report back in as she glances at the clock on the wall. They had done an extremely competent job in laying their false trail. She's surprised though that they never considered that Chuck would be tagged the minute he had been captured.

She ducks behind a pillar when she sees Bryce look up suddenly. Her instructions are clear though, follow the suspects and only act when instructed. She feels her phone vibrate and knows that it's probably Beckman with her instructions and that like Casey, she'll have to make a choice soon.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading. Hope you're still enjoying the story.**


	10. Chuck vs The Choice

**A/N – Thanks for reading and I do hope you're enjoying the story. I'm finally back to a regular writing schedule so I hope to get the last 2 chapters out within the month and then it should be done. Ch 11 is almost done on my end and Ch 12 will be a long one but it should wrpa everythnig up. Thanks to DLK and enjoy!**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Choice**

_**Silverlake, Los Angeles, 23**__**rd**__**June 2010**_

_Sarah can feels the tears that threaten to fall each time she looks at her daughter, currently asleep in Chuck's arms. And each time, she bites down on her inner cheek or her tongue, to the point of drawing blood. The pain, once again, allows her to focus on what needs to be done and not on the loss she will have to endure._

_The house is beautiful, wide arches and clean lines and just perfect for a growing family. She just wishes that the family in question was her own. She hears Ellie and Devon talking in the back and wonders what they really think of her and the offer they have made. She does not care if Ellie thinks she is irresponsible and foolish for doing this but she cannot bear that they would likewise think ill of Chuck._

_Devon had been welcoming from the start, understanding the strain the both of them were under and even throughout her pregnancy, he had always called to check up on her and had tried to broach the subject of what would happen after the birth, only she would incessantly change the subject. She was always hoping that by some miracle, she and Chuck would be free by then. Only the milestone had arrived and Chuck is even more entrenched in Lefevre's organization._

_She feels torn between staying with her daughter and supporting her husband, knowing that he wants her to stay in California. She's read Alex's transcripts and knows that every time Lefevre has threatened Chuck, it has been in the context of hurting her. He's never told her or shared his fears even though she can see it reflected in his eyes. It's the only thing that gives her the impetus to make this choice._

_Chuck loves the weight of Lisa in his arms, innately appreciating the comfort she brings him while knowing that it is fleeting. He looks over at Sarah and wishes he could make it better for her. She's already given up so much for him, her chance for promotion, doing the job she loved and was damn good at and now Lisa. He knows how strong she is and even now, she had not cried. However, he can tell that even she would have a breaking point and prays that this is not it._

_He goes to sit next to her, their arms touching as he leans back into the sofa. "Maybe there's another way." His voice is soft and loving and she closes her eyes, not wanting to add to her pain by looking at her daughter. She knows he is trying to help but it does not lessen her guilt or pain. When she speaks, she's surprised that her tone is measured and calm and at complete odds with her emotions._

"_We've gone though every plausible contingency. Lefevre trust you up to a point and his bio shows that he only makes his decisions if he knows the other party has more to lose. He thinks you will do whatever he says as long as I am there for him to threaten." She finally looks at him, her breath catching in her throat as she notes his expression: love, guilt and strength all mixed together and all directed solely at her._

"_We have to finish this assignment and we have to make sure Lisa is protected. Casey is going to oversee their safety. Ellie, Devon and Lisa. They'll be safe and it's our only choice." The measured tone of her voice does not modulate and he finally realizes that she holding everything in, not wanting to let go because he's pretty sure that she's afraid that if she does, she'll never stop._

_He places his hand on hers as he sees Ellie walk in with Devon. He tries to smile and fails miserably only to have his sister walk over to hug all three of them before sitting down._

"_We're family so whatever you guys need, we'll do it." She feels Devon's hand on her back and knows he has no issues in doing this because he knows their secret. He had asked to speak to her privately after Chuck and Sarah had made their plea and she only relented because he would have been suspicious otherwise._

_Ellie can still remember her dad's exact words, every sentence suddenly explaining away all the weird situations and unexplained disappearances of her baby brother. She had felt hurt that he had let her believe for so long that he was still a screw up and worse yet, that he and Sarah had a real relationship. Only, she had finally come to realize that Chuck really did love Sarah and perhaps that part had been the only real thing for him to hold on to. A bridge between both his worlds. _

_She can see Sarah's reluctance to look at her and wants so badly to let her know that instead of judging her, she feels honored that they would trust her with their most precious gift. She knows though that like Chuck, she's bound by a secret she cannot share and she needs to protect them as much as they are working to protect her. "Call and visit anytime and when you're don..when you're ready, she'll be here waiting for you." Her voice is thick with emotion and she cannot stop a tear from escaping._

_Sarah is surprised by the words and by Ellie's emotional response, expecting more questions on why they needed time alone and why they seemed to be abandoning Lisa. She feels the pressure build up within her, pushing outwards from within such that she has to grip the side of the sofa. It's only when she feels Chuck's hand grip her own does she relax a bit. "Thank you. We'll come back soon. I promise." She wants to tell them more, to explain that in any other circumstances, this would be the last choice she would make but she is bound by duty and she knows that she needs to be there to protect Chuck._

_Ellie can hear the phone ring and excuses herself to answer it, hoping that it's not the call she is expecting but knowing deep down that her father's plan has begun._

* * *

_The sadness in Walker's voice is palpable and Alex switches off the sound, despite Beckman's orders to document everything. She does not want to intrude more than she has to and prepares to report in._

"_Forrest secure. They've given their daughter over. We should be enroute soon." She wonders if Bryce knows about these calls. Her reporting line is still into Bryce and she has a report out in an hour or so but this particular one had been requested by Beckman personally._

"_Thank you Agent Forrest. Was there anything else of consequence said?" She knows how vague her question is and wants to gage Forrest's loyalties. She's learnt first hand how much loyalty Walker and Bartowski can engender, knowing full well that Colonel Casey and even Bryce would not act against them unless explicitly ordered to._

"_Agent Walker alluded to coming back for the child." She knows this is part of her mission but does not like the small twinge of guilt she suddenly feels._

"_Just Agent Walker?"_

"_No ma'am, she promised that both of them would." She cannot stop herself from asking and realizes that this assignment has changed her, "You don't expect that to happen, do you ma'am?" It was standard operating procedure to ensure that for high level missions with high failure rates, the agents would be allowed to have some form of closure with their loved ones. Not overt gestures but just to endure that important things were being looked after._

"_I would believe that there would be no reason why Agent Walker would not come back." She's seen all the surveillance footage of the baby and tries not to dwell on what impact her decisions will have on her life._

"_And Chuck?" Alex can still remember how she hated working with him on their first assignment only to slowly change her mind as he showed her that his emotions, while messy and ridiculous, helped him instead of hindered. This assignment showed her the extent that he would go to protect his team and for that alone, she had changed her view on him._

"_He is the only Intersect we have, Agent Forrest. He willingly chose to download our secrets into his head. He's been put on our Level 5 list." She does not need to explain further. Chuck's actions, though laudable, also condemned him to be forever tied to the government. His Level 5 status meant that should there be any cause to think he would go rogue, he would need to be contained and possibly terminated in order to ensure that he never fell into enemy hands._

* * *

**Castle, Burbank, 5.43am, 10****th****December 2010**

She tells herself that when she meets Chuck she has to let him know that Morgan still keeps the spare key to the shop, under the third potted plant on the right. Devon had carried her through the store as she guided him to the entrance to Castle. Ellie following behind, holding Lisa close, a wary expression on her face.

"I need to let it scan my retina." Her voice is still so soft and weak but at least she can speak in full sentences without too long of a pause. Devon raises her up and she prays that for once luck is on their side and is rewarded as she hears the hiss of the door opening. "We should be safe here." She welcomes Lisa in her arms and kisses her crown. Patience has never been her strong suit and she wants to see Chuck now but she can see how much strain Ellie is under and so she holds her tongue, hopeful that her sister-in-law will tell her what has been planned.

She sees Ellie pacing across the floor, her phone held close to her ear. Devon's trying to be there for her but not crowd her at the same time so he just stands at the side, arms crossed as he waits for Ellie to give him some sort of sign.

She's memorized the number and expected to hear his voice. He had promised that if she did everything he had said, he would be there to tell her what to do next but all she gets is an electronic message with a string of numbers. She feels the panic build up from inside as her hands begin to shake and she realizes that she may have thrown their lives away by believing in a man that abandoned her twice.

"Ellie?", "Ellie, are you okay?" She hears Sarah's and Devon's voices overlap each other but cannot bring herself to answer them as she continues to listen t the electronic voice on the line, hoping that her father's voice would finally come through. It's only when she feels Devon's arms around her does she finally let go, the first sob escaping before she can stop it.

"It's okay, babe. We'll be okay. Shh, I'm here." He holds her in his arms wanting to show her how much he loves her as she cries into his chest.

Sarah wishes that she could walk out of here, just take Lisa with her and leave. She knows how much Ellie and Devon had already sacrificed and she doesn't want to take more from them. "Please go." Her voice is soft but determined and she sees Devon look at her as does Ellie. "You've done so much. I can't ask…you.."She does not know she's crying until she feels a tear fall on her arm.

"No one's going anywhere." The baritone of Casey's voice clear and strong as it resonates within the room. She sees him walk down the stairs an inscrutable look on his face. Devon and Ellie have moved to stand next to her but she knows that the next move is Casey's. She hopes he makes the right one.

"Agent Walker, Doctor Bartowski, Doctor Woodcomb." He sees the baby in Walker's hands and he pauses because he needs to do his job, live up to his duty despite innately understanding that it is not the right thing to do. "I'm placing you under arrest. There are agents waiting outside. Don't make this difficult." He looks directly at Walker even though she does not pose a threat due to her condition. He walks towards her and he feels a twinge when she holds Lisa closer, angling the baby away from him.

Devon remembers the first and only fight he had with Casey. The most significant memory was the fact that he had a gun pulled on him and if Sarah hadn't appeared, he really didn't want to know what Casey would have done. His exercise regime was tailored specifically to improve his stamina, not to take on military trained assassins but he looks at Ellie and realizes what's at stake if Sarah does not at least get her chance.

He rams into Casey, using his shoulder, a perfect full body tackle that takes him to the ground. He hears the gun skitter across the floor and takes his first punch in the face but he does not let go. Instead, he hits back and is surprised to hear Casey grunt as he makes contact with his solar plexus. He feels Casey's hand around his throat and convulses but does not stop as he hits Casey twice.

Ellie can see the gun on the floor but is rooted to the spot. It's only when she hears Sarah's voice, soft but forceful, does she look up.

"Get the.. gun." Ellie does not need to be asked twice as she grabs the gun, trying to train it on Casey but not getting a fix as Devon tries to get an upper hand in the fight but failing. She notes though that Casey's not hitting Devon in his kidneys or punching him directly, instead just deflecting the blows and pushing Devon away. She's not sure if its chance or by design that Casey pushes Devon towards her such that he knocks into her, enough to send her off her feet.

However, it also provides her with the chance to pass Devon the gun, which he takes.

"Whoa, dude, I don't want to use this but it doesn't mean I won't." Devon points the gun at Casey, finally stopping him in his tracks.

"You're not going to be able to pull the trigger." He sneers when he sees Devon flinch at his words. He finally looks at Sarah, a sense of relief washes over him as he notes that although she's still pale, she does not look as bad as when he last saw her at the hospital. She does look wan and tired and he knows he has a chance to get her to surrender. "You don't want this to end badly, Walker. They're only at aiding and abetting currently. Think of Ch.." He realizes his mistake as she slowly stands, Ellie rushes forward, nervous and anxious as she takes Lisa into her arms.

"You don't get to say his name." Her voice is low, angry and he's amazed that she walks unaided towards him, slow but each step bringing her closer. "You promised, John. You promised to find him." He knows his expression is as guilty as hell but he clenches his jaw shut, accepting her scorn. It's only when she stands in front o him, toe to toe that he finally breaks off eye contact and looks down, not wanting to see how badly he has hurt her.

Sarah feels lightheaded and knows she does not have much time as she raises her arm as soon as Casey looks down. She hides the syringe between her fingers, only increasing her momentum as she sees him begin to look up. She catches him at the side of his neck and presses down, releasing the powerful sedative into Casey's bloodstream.

He grabs her hand, his reflexes not as yet slowed down but lets go when he hears her gasp and sees her tumble to the floor. He knows his job and he knows his duty and he blames it on the drugs when he looks down at Sarah and says 'sorry' before keeling over himself.

Devon's heart is still racing but seeing Sarah collapse pushes him into doctor mode almost automatically as he runs to her side to check her pulse and pupil dilation. "Lisa?" Hearing her voice still does not stop his examination but he does answer because he does not want her to panic.

"Ellie's got her, she's fine. How did you…? You're something, you know that?" He had guessed at Sarah's determination but still could not believe that she had not only walked unaided but managed to take down someone like John Casey. He can see she's still in tremendous pain as she breathes through her mouth, her eyelids half shut as waves of pain traverse her body. "I need to give you something for the pain." He looks up at Ellie only to feel Sarah's hand on his.

"Need to…get…to Chuck, Ellie…where's Chuck?" She's holding tightly onto Devon although she knows that she's used up her last bit of strength taking Casey out. She only needs to hang on for just a bit longer to get confirmation that she'll see him soon.

"I….,Sarah…I.." Ellie, kneels beside her such that she can see the top of Lisa's head. She sees the fear in Ellie's eyes and has to control her own fear from building up. "Ellie…please."

"The message, it's numbers, not like a phone number. It's just numbers. My dad said he'd give us a place to meet. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She knows she's in over her head and people are relying on her and all she can do currently is to apologize to her sister in law.

The words all jumble together and Sarah knows she is losing consciousness. However, she's still cognizant enough to see the connection. "Coordinates…numbers are coordinates." Her eyes close shut but not before she sees Ellie's expression change to hope once again.

_**San Diego, 8.18am, 10**__**th**__**December 2010**_

He knows it's just his imagination, lack of sleep and being in a constant state of anxiety all meshed together that is affecting his thoughts. However, ever since he landed in California, he feels Sarah close by. Like she's just out of reach but with every mile he travels, he's just that much closer to seeing her again.

"She's going to be there?" His inflection only changes at the end, making it a question as opposed to a statement and he feels fear like he's never experienced before. He presses down on the accelerator involuntarily thinking that he needs to make up time. That if he does everything in his power to get there faster, to get there without any delay, it would all be all right and Sarah and Lisa would be there. They would be a family and nothing would stand in their way.

"Yes." Bryce imbues the word with as much belief as he can because he does not want to lie to Chuck anymore. He thinks that life cannot be this unfair and that for all their sacrifices, for all Sarah and Chuck have done, it had to be inconceivable that they did not get to be together. He smiles when he sees Chuck does. The impact from the back wiping the smile off his face as he whips his head around and spots the black jeep barreling down on them.

Chuck holds tightly onto the wheel, steering the car such that it does not veer off the road. He feels the second impact but it just feeds into his determination to not let anything stop his journey. "Can you take the shot?"

"Already ahead of you buddy." Bryce checks the clip on the gun and pulls himself out the window, his arm extended as he takes the shot. The windshield cracks and he glimpses blond hair, for a moment thinking it could be Sarah but realizing that Alex was the more probable choice. He sees the car speed up and braces himself as Alex guns the engine and hits them for the third time, sending their car spinning towards the side of the road, only stopping when it hits a tree.

The deployed airbag stops his forward momentum but disorients him anyway such that it takes him almost a minute to note that Bryce is not in the car. He scrambles out of the car, climbing over the console and exits through Bryce's door. He sees him sprawled five feet away and rushes over.

"Don't move, Bartowski. Just stay where you are." All she sees is Bryce's prone body and she can feel her heart speed up, a mixture of fear and remorse. She has Chuck in her gun sight as she extends her other hand to feel for a pulse on Bryce's neck. She does not expect him to be conscious or for him to be so fast as he makes a grab for her gun.

She nearly loses it but in the end, he's a bit hurt from the crash and she manages to scramble back. "Don't." She points the gun at Bryce and then at Chuck, "I don't want to have to hurt you further." She's made her choice in accepting Beckman's orders to stop them and has followed through.

"Alex, please." She hears the pleading tone in Chuck's voice but its Bryce's expression that keeps her attention: a mixture of hope and understanding that she cannot explain. She sees bruises forming on the side of his head but it's his smile that she settles on looking at.

"Chuck can't go with you." She remembers his voice from their missions. Always soft in her ear, initially grating because of the distance he had put between them as agent in charge. In the end, they had managed to work together, building on the mutual respect they had for each other. She nods at his statement, finally eliciting a reaction from him that she has expected.

He does not want her to throw away her career but he also needs to ensure that Chuck gets to where he needs to go. He thinks he can get through to her but he's unsure of how she will react to his proposal, although he is surprised at her nod. "But I can." He still does not know where Chuck is going and knows he will not be able to give Beckman anything even if he was interrogated. "Go, Chuck. Go now." His voice is firm and he does not break his gaze with Alex.

"Bryce, I…" He does not know what to say because he's unsure of whether he'll ever see him again. Even when he wasn't around, the things he had done had shaped Chuck's life. He's sure that for all the trials and tribulations, he would never have met Sarah without Bryce and for that he would forever be grateful. "Thanks."

"Bartowski?" Alex finally decides as she sees Chuck turn to look at her. She's still an agent and understands her job but she also realizes that she's allowed to make a choice, to still do her job but just to not follow this particular lead through. "Beckman's closing in. You don't have much time."

She's given him maybe two hours and she hopes it's enough. She just wonders if Casey managed to do the same.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading and please review as I hope you're still interested and invested in the story.**


	11. Chuck vs The End pt 2

**A/N – Thanks to DLK for the beta and for those still reading, thank you for sticking with this story. I am still having a great time writing it and hope you enjoy reading. This is the last chapter with Flashbacks and Ch12 is the last chapter for this story.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The End pt 2**

_**Castle, Burbank, 7.32 am, 1**__**st**__**December 2010**_

"_Lefevre and Agent Walker will be arriving on his private jet in a few hours." Casey glances sideways at Chuck as he reports out to Beckman. He knows that Bartowski had actually argued with Lefevre when he suggested that Sarah fly out with him, even going so far as to refuse to leave New York. _

"_And have you narrowed down the target?" She's given them a lot of leeway and right now, it worries her that Lefevre has all the components to build one heck of a powerful explosive device. _

"_No, ma'am. He's still holding that particular detail from us but we know it's in California and I still have the triggering device." Chuck had nearly come to blows with Lefevre when he refused to hand over the device and because of it, Lefevre had insisted that Sarah stay behind. Chuck nearly capitulated then but understood that this was what they had to do and he had enough trust in her skills to know that she could take care of herself._

_He sees Beckman nod at his words and knows that he needs to address his future now. The assignment is almost over and he needs to ensure that all their hard work and sacrifices have paid off. "General Beckman, once this assignment is over, Sarah and I are requesting transfers. The paperwork has already been sent to you." Sarah had told him that she was still trying to get in touch with his father and that they'll get another Intersect to replace him. But with Lisa depending on them, it was best to take a step back from active duty._

_Chuck had already proven his worth by using Casey's Flash Active Recall Management process and would continue to do so but only as a supervisory Agent, just providing information for missions. Sarah had also asked to retire and assume a training role, passing on her knowledge and skills to other agents without the need to go out into the field. _

_He knows that it's not the ideal solution for Beckman but he cannot see how she can refuse considering that he'll still be working for her. Overall, he knows that Sarah had already put in place Plan B and although he does not want to live his life on the run, he's cognizant enough to understand that his family needs to come first and Sarah would have already ensured that they get a chance to be a family._

"_I don't think now is the time to discuss this, Agent Bartowski." She sees the determination on his face and realizes that he's not going to let it go. "I will take it under consideration and I understand your motivations here." She's perfected the art of plausible deniability and knows she's not promising him anything._

"_Sarah said you'd say that." He smiles although it does not reach his eyes. "So, I guess, I have to be clear here. We've done everything you've asked of us and will continue to serve our country. I don't want an answer right now but what I do want is an understanding that you will give our request the due consideration it requires and your word that you will try your best." Chuck knows he's pushing his luck as he sees her eyes narrow but he needs to do this because he knows Sarah needs to get Lisa back._

"_Very well, Agent Bartowski, I give you my word that I will review your request with the due consideration it deserves." She cannot deny their sacrifices and she is not lying as she tells Chuck this. What she does not elaborate on is the fact that it's not up to her anymore and although she has already agreed to Sarah's transfer, she has no say over Chuck. She realizes that when they find out, she'll have to deal with Agent Walker and wonders if it will end well._

* * *

"_Beckman agreed?" He can hear the skepticism in Sarah's voice as he recounts his conversation, noting the fact that she looks slightly happier than he's ever seen her in recent times. She hasn't mentioned Lisa once but he can tell that Sarah's thinking about her. Every now and then, she gets this look in her eye and Chuck knows that she's thinking of their daughter. He has to stop himself from touching her or saying anything because he knows she cannot deal with his empathy. So he looks away when he recognizes her look and only replies when she asks him the question._

"_Not in the sense of saying yes." He sees her roll her eyes, "But she gave me her word." He still believes that it'll all work out in the end and all their hard work and sacrifices will mean something. "It's almost over and in a few days…" He sees her hold her breath and he wants so much to tell her she does not need to remain stoic for him but he knows that it's a coping mechanism for her and he's already asked so much of her that it's only fair for him to accept that. "We're so close." He smiles at her and can see her relief at his words._

_Sarah feels the love she has for Chuck flow through her but she also feels the acute sense of loss which she knows will not go away until they finish this assignment. "Okay, so all we need to do is to get through tomorrow and we'll be free." She does not believe in Beckman but she believes in Chuck and she has to trust that it will work out. "He'll already have the bomb assembled once you hand over the trigger so you'll have less than fifteen minutes to flash on how to detonate the bomb."_

_She sees Chuck nod at her words and it scares her how their entire plan rests on his shoulders. "Piece of cake." He takes her hand and kisses her palm. "You're the one who has to come in all guns ablazin'. All I have to do is flash and give you the signal." He pulls her close, hoping to assuage her fears. "The minute Lefevre sees you with a gun, he'll shoot."_

_Sarah holds him tight as she closes her eyes and breathes him in. "He'll miss." She's wanted to shoot Lefevre for so long that it almost seems like a dream to have the day finally arrive. "Just remember what you need to do and Casey and I will take care of the rest." She finally extricates herself from his embrace, already missing the warmth but knowing she needs to ensure that she's thought of every contingency to ensure that he comes out of this unhurt. _

"_You need to wear this." She takes the vest out of her bag and hands it to him. "It's our newest bullet proof vest prototype. I promised that I would test it in the field and since Lefevre will scan you for weapons and to see if you're wearing a wire or a vest, this is the only thing that you can bring in without setting off any of his alarms." It's his turn to look skeptical. "I need to know that you'll be safe."_

_He takes the vest, "How about you, where's yours?" He's never underestimated her skills and he knows that she trusts him with her life. It does not preclude the fact that he cannot imagine her hurt and would do anything in his power to prevent that._

"_I'll get one from Casey later." She does not want to leave him, definitely not tonight. She's given up so much to get to this point that she feels she needs to just stay in his arms and at last think of their future. "If all goes well…when all goes well tomorrow," she pulls him in for a kiss, "We'll have so much to talk about and do, as a family."_

* * *

_Casey hears the call try and connect as it's bounced off various satellites and wonders where she's stationed currently. He hopes that she's near the end of her assignment because he knows that in two days or so, he's going to hop a plane and meet her regardless of where she's at. _

_When she finally answers, he realizes how much he's missed her and how much he wants them to move forward together. Casey knows he's actually expecting a commitment from her and wants to give one himself. "I missed you." His voice is still gruff but he's never said the words before and he knows she's picked up on that when he hears her intake of breath._

"_I've missed you too." Ilsa's voice is so clear that if he closes his eyes, he can picture her standing next to him. "So what are you doing next week?" It's a games they've been playing, the answer already known before the question is asked. The fact that they're married to their jobs and duty does not stop her from voicing her want. Except this time, he surprises her yet again, when he clears his throat before responding._

"_I was thinking of diving off Cozumel. Care to join me?" He's never made the first move, always wary that he's already committed to his job and his choice had been made a long time ago. However, he sees the way Sarah and Chuck have made it work and he's finally ready to try for himself._

_Ilsa looks out her window at the cold, grey morning, his words echoing in her mind but more importantly, she's aware of what's he's asking and it throws her. "John, what…I mean...are you sure?" She's never sounded so unsure in all her life but and she needs more from him than just the question._

"_Yes, Can you meet me there?" Hope seeps into his voice and although it sounds unfamiliar, he's comfortable with how he feels. Casey's never been a stranger to sacrifice but he's also learnt about hope from Chuck and in this instance, he thinks that both he and Ilsa deserve this. All the choices he has made until now have taken into consideration his duty and he knows that he will not turn his back on that. However, he's beginning to believe that his choice should not diminish his love for Ilsa and together, they could make it work. _

"_Yes." She feels lighter, freer and it's such a new feeling that she laughs, her joy transmitting so clearly over the phone._

"_Okay, I'll make the arrangements and send you the co-ordinates." He smiles as he hears her laughter and can't help his last words, "Ilsa, I'll see you soon."_

* * *

_Bryce pulls his jacket more tightly around himself as he gazes out the taxi window. He hates the cold but he hates D.C. even more and wonders how long he'll have to stay here. He takes out his phone and contemplates if he should call Stephen and update him on Chuck's status. His current mission is almost over and when it ends, there was a good possibility that Chuck will stay away from field work because of Lisa. He knows that Beckman had already approved Sarah's transfer but that Chuck's was not in her control. _

_However, Bryce has one last offer to make and he hopes Beckman accepts his terms. He's not the man he was but he can still work on the Intersect project and eventually download it into himself. His field work would be limited but he would still be able to hold his own and, more importantly, it would mean that Chuck would not be the only Intersect. He knows it's only a matter of time before they create another version and until then, they'll all have to work together to ensure that Chuck and Sarah are able to spend as much time with Lisa as they possibly can._

_It's a workable plan and he hopes that it'll all work out and he'll finally be able to make it up to Chuck. He stares at his phone and knows that he should call Stephen but in the end, he realizes that he does want to speak to someone but it's not Stephen. He punches in the number and waits for it to connect._

"_Hey." He's suddenly tongue tied and actually nervous such that he has to think of what exactly he wants to say here._

"_Bryce?" Alex recognizes his voice immediately although she had known it was him even before he spoke as she had programmed a different ring tone for him. It had started out as a joke and to ensure he understood how she viewed him. The familiar tune of 'You're so Vain' playing each time he called allowed her a small measure of time to compose herself before answering him._

"_Yeah, um, I just wanted to tell you, well, thanks." He knows he sounds like a schoolboy and it's a feeling he hasn't experienced in a long while. He can picture her look of surprise on her face and he smiles. "I just landed in DC and well…" he trails off, hoping she'll say something._

"_It was truly an experience working for you Agent Larkin." There are no malice in her words and her voice is tempered with a smile. She's surprised at his call and even more so at the tone of his voice. If she didn't know any better, it actually sounded as if he was asking her out. It's not that she never thought of him that way but more because she could see that he still kind of held a torch for Sarah. Maybe he was moving on but she didn't want to be a substitute either."Is there anything else?" She wants him to say it and to be honest, she doesn't mind if he does._

"_Yeah, yeah there is." He pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I was wondering if you would like to go out for dinner this weekend? I know of a nice French restaurant. " He hates DC but it doesn't mean he does not know his way around. He'd almost died twice and by that measure alone, he knows he's used up a lot of his luck. It didn't make sense to not start living his life and doing other things He knows he'll always love Sarah for many reasons but he's finally realized that he's not in love with her anymore._

_She's surprised at his offer but nevertheless knows she wants to accept. "Okay, that sounds good. Where do we m..." Bryce quickly cuts in, "Let me be a bit traditional here and pick you up at seven on Saturday." He hears her laugh but she doesn't say no._

"_Actually, why don't I pick you up?" Alex offers, wanting to establish the fact that they are equals in this. This time it's his turn to laugh, "Okay, I'm at.." This time Alex cuts in, "It's okay, Bryce, I am a spy and I'll see you at seven."_

* * *

_Devon hears the phone ring and quickly jumps to pick it up. Knowing Ellie had just put Lisa down. "Hello." Before he found out about Chuck and Sarah, late night calls never got his heart racing. He was used to being on call from his pager but he knows he'll never get used to that sinking feeling each time the phone rang at odd hours. He knows how dangerous their jobs are and the sacrifices that had to make and he prays each day that they are okay and will be able to be a family with Lisa._

"_Hi Devon." He hears Sarah's clear voice and sighs with relief. He hasn't heard from her in more than a week and he was beginning to get worried._

"_Hey Sarah, Ellie just put Lisa down for the night." He gestures to Ellie as she walks into the room. "Ellie's here as well so I'll put you on speaker phone."_

"_Hey guys, Sarah and I were thinking of coming down this weekend." Chuck's voice coming through and sounding happier that he has in months. _

"_Really? That would be great." Ellie grabs hold of Devon's hand. It's been the best and worst months of her life and she hopes that the worst part is about to end. She loves Lisa like her own daughter but she knows that both Sarah and Chuck have had to face their own nightmare by giving her up albeit for the short time. Her father's ominous messages of bad things that could still occur are still fresh in her mind but hearing her brother voice and knowing that somehow, they were coming back this weekend, drives all her fears away._

"_We've missed you guys and …" Sarah pauses, surprised that there are tears in her eyes. She feels Chuck's strong arms encircle her and it gives her strength to continue. "We miss Lisa so much and it's time to come home." It's the first time she's said it out loud, not wanting to jinx anything but they've come so far that she just needs to finally think of their future._

"_We love you guys, and thanks." Chuck holds onto Sarah, giving her the support he knows she will not ask for but at the same time drawing strength from their connection. _

**Point Dume, Los Angeles, 6.05pm, 10****th****December 2010**

He scans the area like Casey had taught him, counting the number of people about and taking note of any repetitive behavior. What he really wants to do is to rush down and shout out Sarah's name but he understands that nothing is set in stone. Ten days ago, he was looking forward to seeing his daughter with his wife by his side and right now, he's so afraid that he'll never see Sarah or Lisa again.

He's had to place his trust in people who had let him down before and it scares him that both his father and Bryce are not here. He does not want to think that they've not done what they promised to do but in the end, he knows he needs to find Sarah. Deep down, he still feels her with him, with every breath he takes and every step he makes. He knows that she's always been the strong one and she would never give up and that gives him impetus to hope for the best.

He slowly makes his way down, still taking note of his surroundings and only then, does he spot them. The relief he feels is palpable such that he has to take a moment but in the end, he cannot stop himself from breaking into a run.

Being here brings back such memories that she's actually glad that she's in the wheelchair. The smell of the ocean and the view triggers such a visceral reaction from her that she's almost sure that she would not be able to walk even if she could. She holds on to Lisa tightly, her eyes roaming across the vista, taking note of the people milling about but more importantly looking for the one person she needs to find.

"Do you see him?" She can hear Ellie's question to Devon and wants to answer in the affirmative but she has yet to spot his familiar gait and curly brown hair. She knows that he could actually be in disguise or worse, not be there at all. However, she's always felt him despite their separation, an amorphous sense that he was somewhere out there only separated by distance. She closes her eyes for a minute, picturing him in her mind, whole and happy, his lopsided grin wide and showing his teeth.

She feels the weight of Lisa in her hands and bends down to whisper in her ear, "Daddy's coming." It's then that she opens her eyes and finally spots him, as he runs down the steps built into the cliff's edge. He takes the steps two or three at a time each second bringing him closer to her. Her eyes follows him and although he's still so far away, she knows that he's looking directly at her.

Chuck knows where to find the strength to sprint the last thirty yards as his eyes focus solely on Sarah and Lisa. He sees her in the chair and it finally hits him that she's alive and waiting for him. Despite being shot and god knows what else, she managed to get Lisa and meet him. He sees Ellie hugging Devon as tears stream down their faces and understands that they had help make this happen.

Sarah holds onto him as soon as he comes within reach, breathing him in as she pulls him tighter, finally allowing herself to accept that her family is whole again. "We need to run." She can see how exhausted he is and knows that she is running on empty herself.

"We'll help. Whatever you need, where ever you need to go, we'll help." Devon's always been a man of his word and he understands exactly what he's promising. He doesn't even have to look at Ellie to know that she feels the same way. He understands the gravity of the situation and knows that there is no turning back. "Guys, I think we need to get out of here." He's not really sure but he thinks he sees Casey walking towards them. However, it's the eight or nine other people that all seem to be drifting in their general direction that tips him off.

Chuck looks in the direction Devon had indicated and the flash comes so quickly that he has to grab onto Sarah. "Ellie, Devon, I need you to listen to me. You need to take Lisa and run back to the car; Chuck and I will hold them off. Call 813-5697 tomorrow morning and you'll get a message where to meet. Keep calling it every two hours and if you don't hear anything after twelve hours, just run." Sarah kisses her daughter as she again hands her over. She knows Chuck has flashed and hopes that the skill he's flashed on is enough to get them out of this alive. She takes the two guns out from her back holster as she sees Chuck finally come out of his flash.

Chuck looks at his sister holding onto Lisa and grabs them in a hug, "Go, we'll be fine." He stands next to Sarah's chair as he sees Devon usher Ellie away. He sees the agents run towards them faster than before prepares himself for their onslaught but luck is again not on their side as he turns to see three of them surround Ellie and Devon while the rest move towards him and Sarah.

His expression is stoic until he spots Casey and Beckman walking towards them, Alex in tow with Bryce being led in handcuffs.

"Chuck?" Sarah's voice is soft and even now, he knows she does not want to give up. He sees her hold up her guns, targeting Alex and Casey.

Sarah knows she can get at least four shots off and if Chuck had flashed, he could probably take three or four of the other agents but that still left Casey, Alex and Beckman. It's when she sees guns pointed at Ellie and Lisa and Devon standing in front of them, his hands out, that she feels her heart constrict and understands that her choices are limited at best.

"Agent Bartowski, Agent Walker. I would strongly advise you to stand down and come with us." Beckman glances at Casey and Alex and is unsurprised to see that their guns are not out. It didn't matter though because the eight other agents all had their guns out targeting Chuck and his family. She looks at Chuck and sees his resemblance to Stephen but it's not isolated to his facial features but also just the expression on his face; a look of disappointment and distrust and it actually gives her pause. She glances at Sarah and can see her fear as she looks at her daughter, her gun aimed at the agent nearest to Ellie.

Beckman knows she cannot ask her agents to lower their guns or to let Sarah or Chuck go, but she does remember her words to Stephen. All she needs now is a quick word with Chuck and she hopes he will acquiesce. "Agent Bartowski…Chuck, if I may have a word?" She sees Sarah's eyes flick towards Chuck and his small nod as he walks towards her, Sarah's other hand trailing him such that she knows Sarah's other gun is now aimed at her.

Sarah can feel the strain in her arms and can see Casey staring at her but she ignores everything except the man targeting Lisa and Beckman. She sees Chuck, his head bent as he listens intently to Beckman. She does not know what he has been through but she can see the imprint of his ordeal in the way he holds himself. She cannot imagine life without him and would do everything in her power to never let that occur. At last, she sees him nod, his face solemn and grave.

She shakes her head as he walks back towards her and she can see the tears sparking in his eyes.

**The End **

**Thanks for reading! How are excited (or not) are you that this will all wrap up in the next chapter?**


	12. Chuck vs The Beginnning pt 2

**A/N – This is it folks! The last chapter. Thanks to DLK for being a great beta and thanks to all who have read this and a big thank you for all the reviews.**

**The End in Itself**

**Chuck vs. The Beginning pt 2**

**Point Dume, Los Angeles, 6.35pm, 10****th** **December 2010**

Each step he takes brings him closer to Sarah but Chuck also knows that it's just temporary. His talk with Beckman or rather her message had been brief but clear. He has no doubt on his ability to survive whatever she'll throw at him but he does not want to hurt Sarah any more than he has although he knows that he'll have to hurt her now.

He sees her shake her head and knows that she's already guessed part of what has transpired. "No." Her voice breaks at the word and he sees the tears stream down her face. "No, Chuck, no." Her voice gets louder as she points the gun at Beckman, her finger on the trigger.

Chuck kneels in front of her chair, his hand on her arm. "Do you trust me?" His voice still soothes her but she does not want to answer his question as she continues to stare at Beckman. "Sarah, I need to know that you trust me, that you believe and trust in us." He presses down lightly on her arm.

Sarah does not want to put down her guns but it's clear that she cannot win this battle. Her eyes flick to meet Ellie's and Devon's before focusing on Chuck. He's waiting for her answer to his questions but she does not want to say anything because she knows that when she does, he'll leave her. She can see it in his eyes; the love he has for all of them driving him to make the one sacrifice she had never wanted him to make.

"Sarah." Her name sounds beautiful from his lips. He's smiling at her and she cannot understand how he can be so calm and accept his fate. "I love you and I need to know if you trust me."

She cannot not answer him when she sees that he's crying too, "Yes, yes, I love you and I trust you." She drops her guns to the ground and puts her arms around him, pulling him close, knowing that she may never see him again. "Please don't leave me." Sarah knows that if she begged him, he would forsake everything and stay but she also understands that he is not doing this to hurt her but to save them all.

Chuck feels the ache in his chest when he hears her plea. He wants so desperately to stay with her that he knows this is the hardest decision he has ever had to make. He opens his mouth to respond only to have her put her finger to his lips as she can see how difficult this is for him.

"I'm not as strong as you think I am so you have to be the strong one here, okay? Promise you'll do your best to come back to me." She knows she is still asking too much from him but she needs an affirmation from him, something that will sustain her when he leaves. If she could, she would take his place but she knows that she needs to be there for her daughter and to ensure Devon, Ellie and his friends are looked after.

He nods his head, not trusting his voice as he holds her tighter, not wanting to let go and wishing time would slow down or stop because she has such faith in him but he cannot let go and leave her. Sarah feels his arms around her and she breathes him in for the last time before gently pushing him back. She realizes how difficult it is for him to take the next step and its up to her to guide him.

She looks up and can see John staring at them and she nods to him, hoping he understands her message. She watches as he walks towards them, stopping in front of her and saluting her before he gently helps Chuck to his feet.

"I'll watch his back." Casey does not make the promise lightly, knowing what he has to give up. However, it pales in comparison to what Bartowski is doing and he touches the scar at the side of his neck, to remind himself of his debt. He feels Sarah's hand on his arm, her soft touch belying her strength of character and he looks down at her.

"Thank you, John." It does not lessen the apprehension that engulfs her but she knows that Casey will do everything in his power, use every weapon in his arsenal, to ensure Chuck's safety. "You come back, too." She presses down on his arm, wanting him to understand that he's part of her family now as well.

Chuck walks towards Beckman, not wanting to look back but before he reaches her, he turns to Bryce. "Remember, if anything happens." He sees Bryce raise up his handcuffed hands and he turns to Beckman. "I will swear that I broke out of the facility without Bryce's help and he was pursuing me with Agent Forrest. Isn't that right, Agent Forrest?"

Alex has already compromised herself in this and her complicity now will at least allow Bryce to go free. "Agent Larkin was instrumental in leading me to Chuck." She looks at Beckman before bending down to unlock Bryce's cuffs. He touches her hand, a regretful expression on his face before he pushes his chair towards Sarah.

She watches him walk away, each step he takes adds to the weight she feels pressing down upon her such that she cannot breath. Her hands are in fists, her nails digging into the soft part of her palm, drawing blood. She does not move when she sees him turn for a final time before entering the car waiting for him. It's only when the car drives off, leaving a cloud of dust and sand, does she react, hyperventilating as she tries to draw air into her lungs and failing because she screaming his name.

**Silverlake, Los Angeles, 7.32am, 10****th** **January 2011**

Sarah's intimately familiar with the seven stages of grief, having encountered each step when her mom had died. Never really reaching hope and acceptance but at least coming to terms with life not being fair and learning to be strong if only on the outside.

She looks over at the crib to remind herself why she needs to wake up each morning and get out of bed. It's the only thing that gives her impetus to breathe. She's not wishing for oblivion or to forget but the crushing weight of disappointment each day when she has to close her eyes without seeing Chuck is taking its toll. The knock she hears does not cause her heart to race as it did in the first week because she glances at the clock on the wall and knows that it's Morgan.

"Hey beautiful ladies." Morgan's voice falls to a whisper when he sees her point towards the crib. "Sorry. Rough night?" She still looks beautiful to him but her beauty is tempered by loss and he can't help but see her as more ethereal now but also somewhat brittle, like she could break at any moment. He still does not know what happened and all he can figure out is that Chuck's on some super secret mission and Sarah's been hurt both physically and is trying to recover emotionally.

"Just a touch of colic but she's fine now." She tries to smile for him but it's fleeting as she turns to look at Lisa while Morgan walks around the room, picking up the mess that she has not cleared in more than a week. "You don't have to do that." She stands up only to grab the side table as a wave of lightheadedness hits her.

"Hey, I've got you." Sarah does not mean to recoil at his touch and she can see the uncertainty on his face when she sinks back into her chair. "Sorry, I didn't mean…I miss him too." Morgan hasn't seen her cry but he's emptied enough days of her trash to see the wadded balls of tissue paper there. "You're my link, see. I need to come here because you're my link." His voice breaks and he blinks back tears as he sees her finally looking at him.

Sarah's been telling herself that he's not gone, ignoring calls and visits from Ellie and Devon and barely acknowledging Morgan because she's focused on her own loss, not even considering that they were all missing him. She reaches out to grab Morgan's hand as she feels his arms gently encircle her as the tears that she's been holding back soak his vest.

**Dongles & Things, Burbank, 6.32pm, 10****th** **March**

"Thank you and please come again." Jeff's enthusiastic voice carries to the back and Sarah can't help but return Anna's eye roll with a small smile. She feels Lisa pull on her hair and looks at her daughter's brown eyes, so like Chuck's that it takes her breath away. She's looking over the books and is amazed that they're actually making a small profit.

Morgan had stepped up when she couldn't and actually started running the store when he realized that they were no longer a government front. He controlled inventory, ensured that Jeff and Lester actually went on installs and even accepted Anna's flirting as a legitimate sales tactic. She cannot imagine what she would have done without him or Anna. Truth be told, even Jeff and Lester had sense something amiss and never mentioned Chuck in her presence but would always be on their best behavior whenever she was around and especially if Lisa was there. Lester even started singing Lisa to sleep and although Sarah would have had a preference that the song not be Fat Bottomed Girls, but Lisa had been entranced and then fell asleep with her hand holding his finger. They've built a family around her and Lisa and for that she's grateful.

"So are you sure you don't want Morgan and I to look after Lisa tonight?" It's like a ritual to offer even though she knows Sarah will refuse. It has nothing to do with Sarah not trusting them and probably more to do with Sarah not trusting herself alone. Anna does not have all the facts, only that Chuck's away, not exactly by choice, and Sarah needs as much of their support as possible. She had seen the scar on Sarah's back when she had bent down once to pick up Lisa and although she's never seen a bullet wound, the angry red scar reminded her so much of one.

She had told Morgan about it and he had hugged her, not saying a word until she noticed he was crying. She had not said anything then, just held onto him until he finally stopped and told her that Sarah had been through a difficult ordeal and until Chuck came back, they were her family. Since then, Anna would have lunch with her and Lisa on the days that Ellie and Devon didn't and Morgan would go over to her place every morning to drive them to work.

"Yeah, thanks for the offer but Lisa and I have a date in Whoville." Ellie had actually kept all of Chuck's kids books and had sent Devon over with then last month. Since then, she had found that Lisa loved the cadence of Horton Hears a Who and had been reading it to hear on a nightly basis.

Anna smiles and is glad to see Sarah return it even if it's only fleeting, like most of her smiles. "She's lucky to have you and just remember that we're here to help if you need us." Anna sees Sarah turn away at her words but is not distressed because she understands that Sarah's hiding tears in her eyes so she does the one thing that she knows Morgan would have done. "So how much do you want to bet that Lester's planning to steal Jeff's commission when he's not looking?"

Sarah sniffs and smiles for the third time before replying, "I think he's already taken out his dreidel."

**Silverlake, Los Angeles, 10.02pm, 10****th** **June 2011**

Sarah puts most of the leftover cake in the fridge except for a slice which she wraps slowly in saran wrap before putting in into a small container and finally into the freezer. A slice of Lisa's first birthday cake for her father to taste when he returned.

She had not wanted to give up their apartment when she came back, instead hanging on to everything within it because it all reminder her of Chuck and she did not want to forget any part of him. She had been so afraid that his memory would fade not because she wanted it to but because he was just not there anymore. Ellie and Devon had urged her to move in with them but she had always refused, citing her need for some privacy and their need to start their own family.

In the end though, it was the unofficial understanding that Morgan and Anna would be there for her in the morning and Ellie and Devon would come by in the afternoons if she was home and they were not on shift. It was the nights though that would be hardest for her and she realized that's why he had volunteered.

In the first week, he had not even knocked on her door but just waited outside until she had switched off all the lights and gone to bed. She had only known he was there on the third night when she took out the trash and saw him in his wheelchair looking at her from across the fountain. She had still been in shock, only functioning because of Lisa but and surviving from minute to minute. Looking at him hurt as much as remembering that Chuck was gone and therefore, she didn't acknowledge him and he didn't call out.

It had taken her three weeks before she spoke to him and even then, it had only been to ask if he had any news. He had shook his head and he had seen her eyes fill with tears before she had turned and rushed back into the house. A week later, he had noticed the window to one of the rooms open and her sitting on the floor staring at him. It had been Chuck's old room and he took that as a sign that she didn't mind him being around.

Sarah stares at the Tron poster in the living room, picturing Chuck's writing on the back of it, the sum of his knowledge after two years. It had been a surprise when he showed it to her more so for the fact that he knew so much and yet still not enough. When he showed it to her, he had not known that she loved him and that she wanted to stay and that she didn't want to be a spy at least not if he didn't have the Intersect in his head anymore. So many things had happened since then, so many good memories and times but the bad parts were heartbreaking and still painful. She hears his knock on Chuck's window and takes a breath before walking towards the room.

"Hey." Bryce was never reticent by nature but he's learnt to hold back for Sarah's sake. Recognizing that she didn't want to talk about any of it because it still hurt too much. He can still recall holding her in his arms as she tried to breathe while dealing with the knowledge that Chuck had turned himself over to Beckman to save them all. He had not wanted to admit it but he had been relieved when she finally passed out because her grief had been so raw that it was upsetting to witness it.

She does not say anything as she sits by the window, hugging her knees. She knows that he's in contact with Alex and that every now and then, there's a rumor of a sighting at the Farm but nothing that can be confirmed or denied. Like before, she can feel Chuck out there but it's such a tenuous link that sometimes she thinks it just part of her coping mechanism. Its nights like these where she sometimes puts voice to her fears. "Do you think he's still alive?" Her voice is so soft that Bryce has to strain to make out all the words.

The question takes him by surprise but he recovers, "I believe that he is and so do you. Chuck's alive and he'll come back." His tone is emphatic and he sees her smile except that it finally turns into a frown.

"You taught me that." She looks into the distance as if remembering his words. "Repeat it in your head enough and you'll begin to believe it. Only…" She hates to admit any weakness but here at night sitting on the floor of Chuck's old room, it's easy to forget her armor and just talk of her fears. "I…I think I feel him out there, know that he's thinking of me at the same moment I'm thinking of him. But what if it's just me, just my imagination trying to make me feel better." Her voice tapers off in the end, thick with emotion as she swallows back tears.

"What if its not?" Bryce has never doubted Chuck's love for Sarah and he can see that her love for Chuck was just as strong. His pragmatic view could never envision such a bond but here was the proof and he was not about to let her discount it in a moment of weakness. "He has faith in you and maybe your faith in him is all he needs." He does not have empirical proof for her. Alex could only confirm that there is an Intersect project but had no information of any of their missions or members. The closest she has come to confirming anything was seeing John Casey's name on a plane manifest in Budapest. She would have discounted the information if not for a small blurb in the local paper detailing the story of a young American man landing a small passenger airplane when the pilot took sick. A man named Charles, who did not have any record of a pilot's license.

"He's out there wanting to come back and one day…one day he will." He touches her hand briefly, the contact more for his benefit than for hers; something to remind himself why he does this every night.

"Bryce." She waits until he's looking at her before smiling, not a wide smile or one that signifies that all is okay but a smile nonetheless to express that deep down, she knows he's right. "Thanks."

**Dongles & Things, Burbank, 7.03pm, 17****th** **November**

"Come on, baby, we're already late and Aunt Ellie tends to get worried if we don't show up on time." Sarah carries Lisa with one hand as she walks around the shop, switching off the lighting displays one by one. She does not look up when she hears the bell on the front door ring, instead, just calling out. "Sorry, we're closed. If you could come back tomorrow it would be…" Sarah trails off as she finally looks up to see who had entered the store.

His large form blocks out the waning light from the outside but she can recognize his demeanor anywhere. Sarah can see that he has lost weight but its when he steps further into the light that she sees the scar trailing down the side of his face, angry and red and by the looks of it, quite a recent phenomenon. Sarah holds on to Lisa more tightly but does not say anything as she tries to blink back tears forming in her eyes. Her eyes dart to the side, looking at the door, willing it to open and praying that it does.

Casey does not expect the rush of emotions to flow through him, such that he actually feels a bit light headed. Seeing Sarah was one thing but looking at Lisa's curly hair and heart shaped face, just took his breath away. It's only then that he notes the distress in Sarah's face and realizes what she must be thinking. Casey does not take a step forward, instead taking a step to the side, allowing for Sarah to have a clear view of the door.

He's dreamt about this moment since the day he left her on the beach. Going through every detail in his mind from her first reaction to his first words. Intrinsically understanding that the one constant in all his dreams is the love he feels for her despite their separation. "Chuck." He hears her say his name and he's by her side in four strides, his arms around her as she buries her head in the crook of his neck, Lisa safely cradled between them.

It's as if time has slowed down, the second the door opened and Chuck walked in. Sarah takes all of him in, noting his weight loss and how tanned and toned his arms are, along with his hair in disarray, the curls spilling over his back collar and curling into weird animals shapes at the sides. She says his name like its an invocation, the word both special and unique. Ant then all she feels is his strong arms around her, his presence finally registering on a subconscious level such that she finally feels free.

Their first kiss is soft and exploratory, her free hand caught in his hair and his arms pull her closer. He deepens it instinctively as he hears her moan but in the end feels the loss when she pulls back.

"Lisa, say hi to your daddy." Chuck can see tears in her eyes but her voice is strong and happy as she lifts Lisa's hand to touch the side of his face. His daughter's caress soothing his fears as much as Sarah's presence has.

"Hey, Lisa Bryce Bartowski, look how big you are." His voice breaks near the end as his hand reaches for Sarah's, needing the physical connection to anchor him, a corporal reminder that it's all real.

Casey turns to leave only to have Sarah's voice stop him, "Casey." His hand stills on the door as he watches her give Lisa to Chuck and walk towards him. He does not expect the hug but realizes that nothing else would have sufficed. "I have the empty room in the apartment and you should rest before your flight tomorrow. Tell Ilsa thanks and Casey…" Sarah looks at him, a smile on her face as she kisses her cheek. "Thank You."

"Bartowski, Walker." Casey nods at Chuck and Sarah before standing at attention and saluting his two teammates. "Have a good life."

**Silverlake, Los Angeles, 12.08am, 18****th** **November 2011**

"Are you sure she won't wake up?" Chuck's holding Lisa in his arms, unsurprised that she still fits so well as he slowly places her in the bed. He looks up to see Sarah leaning against the door as she nods in response.

"If she does, we can hear her with the monitor." He looks so familiar but she can tell that he's changed. Not in a way that would make him unrecognizable but she can see that his experiences in the past year have affected him. "I trust you." The words are spoken with love as Sarah holds out her hand, waiting for him to accept her offer.

He's always been able to read her, understand her needs even when she could not articulate them and right now, she's giving him the chance to unburden himself, to tell her of what he had done to get here, the missions and death, the lies and assets he had to burn. Only, he doesn't want to, not because he thinks she will judge him or not accept who he has become. He does not need to do that because he's finally free and all he wants is to look forward to their future, not burden her with his past. He takes her hand and leads her over to the small armchair in the corner, sitting in it and pulling her onto his lap as he pulls her close. "He took it out. My dad…the intersect, he took it out two nights ago."

He can feel her warmth, his palm placed just over her heart picking up the rhythm of her heartbeat. "He needed time to create a interface to download the data to and then he uploaded it into himself." Chuck has no qualms in dealing with the extra missions and danger, always accepting that all he did would eventually bring him to Sarah. Casey had done most of the heavy lifting though but in the end, the only reason Beckman and the Government had let him go was the fact that they still got a functioning Intersect and he was of no more use without it.

"He replaced me." The guilt seeps through his voice and he feels Sarah tighten her hold on him. "I just wanted to see you, to see Lisa." Stephen had smiled at their last meeting, telling him that this had been what he should have done a long time ago and asking for his forgiveness for taking him away from his family. "He told me to tell you to be happy." His father had looked at peace with himself in the end, as if he had finally made all the right decisions.

"What did he tell you?" He's always carried more than his share of any burden, taking responsibility for things that were sometimes beyond his control. It's one of the many reasons she fell in love with him.

"That it was time to live my life and I had done enough and it was his turn." He had been in shock when he heard the words his father was telling him. However, with the clarity of hindsight, he finally understands that this was his dad's way of making amends.

"Well, your dad's a smart guy. Kinda like his son." She promises herself that Lisa will know all about Stephen Bartowski and deep down, she hopes that one day, some day, she'll get to meet the man who saved their family. "You should get some rest."

She starts to rise, only to have him still hold on, "That day on the beach…" Sarah holds her breath, not wanting to remember the pain she had felt but understanding that she had offered him absolution with her initial words. "Beckman told me that she had my dad in custody and the only way she could save us all was to bring me in. She said it was still a gamble but she'll ensure that you and Lisa and all my family and friends would not be harmed. She gave me her word, her promise."

He does not regret his decision although he sorely regrets the pain he knows he caused her. He needs her to understand that he would never have left her if he weren't sure that he would come back.

Sarah twists in the chair to face him, her hand pushing a curl off his forehead before cupping his cheek. She can feel the stubble already growing and closes her eyes as she leans up to kiss him. Each kiss alternating with her words. "I" the first kiss is lingering. "Love" the second taste of longing. "You." The third is one of promise.

Chuck slowly stands, carrying Sarah. "I missed you and all I want to do right now is to show you how much." Sarah laughs as wraps her legs around him. "Not if I show you first."

He feels her curled around him and he knows not to move as he glances at the small clock on the side table. He sees the red number switch to the next minute and it triggers the flash. Images and bytes of information all scrambled but still there is method to the madness as he blinks, trying to catch his breath and trying to discern the information download.

This time, it's relatively benign, the clock part of a batch used to hide counterfeit gemstones. Chuck feels Sarah shift in his arms, her hand holding on to his and it crystallizes his thoughts. He's not the Intersect any more or at least, everyone agrees that he's not the Intersect any longer. He's just Chuck Bartowski and for the first time in a long while, it who he wants to be.

Just Chuck Bartowski.

**The End**

**I did enjoy writing this and hopw you enjoyed reading it. Please review on your way out, thanks!  
**


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